Return to Sanity
by Ventus Princeps
Summary: During the possession at the Ministry, Voldemort unintentionally discovers that Harry is one of his horcruxes and purposely reabsorbs it. What effect will this one change have on the Wizarding World? Slash. Full Summary and Warnings inside.
1. Return to Sanity

Warnings: This story is going to be slash, although there won't be any sex for quite sometime. Slash of the "I have to marry someone for political reasons" variety. Basically its a contract marriage fic. I know it has been done but I wanted to write something I would have liked to read. If you aren't happy with either of the above mentioned plot points then I doubt you'll like this story so you might just want to find something else. Thanks anyway. This will be a slowly developing story. There will be no jumping right into bed together, or falling in love at first sight. Characters will be or become slightly OCC at some point (I'm not JK, of all the rotten luck) but I still want them to be recognizable. Snape will still be Snapey, The Molfoys will still be arrogant, Tom Riddle will still be not such a nice guy, and Harry won't just lay down and suddenly become tearful and girly, however, people are people and changes occur. Hopefully I'll do a decent job with this. (Its my first fic after all.)

Extended Summary: During the possession at the Ministry, Voldemort unintentionally discovers that Harry is one of his horcruxes. He decides its not worth the risk to let Harry knowingly continue on with the his soul piece inside him so Voldie reabsorbs the small piece back into the larger soul peice currently residing in his body. What happens when the effect of this event causes Voldie to gain back some of his sanity? Will he realize the harm he has caused not only to himself but the Wizarding World as well? How will this effect our Hero? Rated M for Language, some Violence, and sexual situations later in the story. Slash, but over 17.

This is the Obligatory "I do not own Harry Potter' statement. I don't own HP or anything related to it, JK Rowling, Warner Brothers, etc. You know the deal. If I owned it, it definatly wouldn't be a childrens story! Don't sue me. Thanks

One last thing. Credit for the idea of this story obviously does not go to me. While I am striving to make this as different as possible the basic idea came from a wonderful writer named Dinkel and her story Unintentionally Yours. You should go check it out! www . fanfiction . net/s/3151866/1/

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**Return to Sanity**

Harry Potter was in unbelievable pain. Writhing in agony on what Harry only subconsciously remembered was the marbled floor of the Ministry of Magic, Harry truly wished that Dumbledore would heed Voldemort's words and end his suffering. His whole body felt like it was on fire. Pain as he had never known crashed through him, wave after wave, and in that moment he thought he could understand Dumbledore's previous insistence that there were things worse than death. He truly felt that death would be kinder at this point, especially after Sirius.

"Sirius…" Harry thought, and a different sort of agony swept through him. That of loss and love. Quite suddenly Harry could feel Voldemort's possessive presence within his mind starting to withdraw, but before it could completely abandon him he felt a momentary jolt of surprise. Before Harry could ponder this he was suddenly immersed within his mind, the pain fully gone.

Harry looked around confused for a moment. Recognizing everything in the room from the huge fireplace to the worn red and golden chairs he thought wildly, 'How did I get into the Gryffindor common room?'

"You don't even know your own mind ssscape?" A quite voice all to familiar hissed at him. Harry spun around and encountered the person he desired most to never see again. Lord Voldemort. Those malevolent red eyes peered at him almost unemotionally but for a small spark of fear that Harry was taken aback to see. "You really are asss ussseless at Occlumency asss Ssseveruss claimed you to be. I thought it only and exaggeration considering how effortlessly you seem to throw off even my Imperious, but it sseemss he was correct in hisss perceptionsss of you. For once." He seemed to add distractedly. Harry was about to comment scathingly back (or at least as scathingly as it was possible for him to be when encountering The Dark Lord) until he realized Voldemort was no longer looking at him but was staring blankly at a shadowed corner of the common room.

The corner was more of an alcove of sorts. An archway led into a shallow sitting area which held only a small round mahogany side table with a golden dish on top covered in thick candles of varying lengths, and a plush crimson chair. The ceiling was domed and shadowed the chair within the corner heavily. Harry remembered thinking, in first year when he had first encountered said alcove, it was probably made for his head of house to unobtrusively watch over her house when she came into the commons. He was right to a point, only, McGonagall had hardly ever entered the common room, unless necessary for disciplinary matters, so the alcove was more typically used for hiding the more amorous activities of his house mates. Harry couldn't think of one good reason why Voldemort would find anything remotely interesting about it, at least those were his thoughts until he got a look at exactly what was in the alcove.

At first it looked like a baby, then Harry realized it looked similar to what Voldemort looked like before his re-birthing ceremony the night of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. He turned away. He couldn't bare to look at it longer, besides the fact that it called up memories best forgotten, it really was extremely disturbing in and of itself. He could still hear rustling as it squirmed on the carpet underneath the chair where it lay and the quiet mewing it made occasionally. Harry just wanted to forget all about it until he realized this… creature or whatever it was, was laying inside his mindscape. 'My mind! What was it doing in here?' Harry's thoughts whirled in his mind as he tried to figure out what this meant.

"What is that" Harry whispered, mostly to himself. Harry wasn't sure why Voldemort hadn't attacked him yet but he assumed it had something to do with the little thing in this small corner of his mind. Maybe he knew what it was or maybe he was trying to figure out what it was, either way Harry was sure Voldemort wouldn't answer his question even if he knew, and why should he know? This was Harry's mind. 'Maybe,' Harry thought, 'there is something wrong with me.' Before he could angst anymore a surprising thing happened. Voldemort answered him.

"It isss a piece of my sssoul"

Harry abruptly looked up at this. He looked at Voldemort's profile for a moment, as said Dark Lord seemed to be transfixed with looking at what he had said was a piece of his soul. Voldemort looked odd to Harry in that moment, confused and a little fearful. Then It hit Harry like a bludger to the gut. 'A piece of his SOUL?' Harry screamed inwardly. 'How in the Hell did I get a piece of his soul inside me?' Harry didn't even want to think of the implications of such a thing, knowing instinctively that Voldemort was telling the truth. This would mean as long as Harry lived with this piece of soul in him that Voldemort could not truly die. Right? The thought of this alone made Harry faintly sick and fearful. 'How did this happen?' Silence settled in the room for a few moments until Harry thought he had figured it out. That night. That god forsaken night that ruined his life. It just kept getting worse and worse didn't it? It had to be connected in some way.

"What did you do?" Harry asked quietly, furiously, and with no little sense of panic. He tried to pretend he didn't hear the quaver in his voice or feel his sinuses prickling.

"I think you have figured that out all ready, boy." Voldemort's voice was low and menacing as if warning Harry off of further questions. Voldemort was slowly walking toward his soul piece with and unsure look on his face, well as unsure as one could look with such a disfigured visage. Harry, however, was not to be dissuaded. Being spurred on by his raging emotions Harry stepped in front of the other man, fully faced the most feared Dark Lord to ever live, face red, livid green eyes glowing and yelled in all his anguish

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DID YOU DO TOM?"

The Dark Lord looked the young man in the face then, red eyes glowing just as fiercely as green and hissed dangerously back, "Do not call me that!"

"I'll call you anything I damn well please!" Harry raged back. "This is my mind, and I want to know how a piece of your soul came to be here!" Harry was breathing heavily in rage and fear. He was afraid. Did this mean he had to die for Voldemort to be killed? Did Dumbledore know what the true nature of the connection between them was? The thought alone made Harry weak at the needs. 'No.' He thought firmly. 'Dumbledore wouldn't have kept this from me if he had known.' Harry thought furiously. 'Right?' The raven haired youth could feel his heart sinking even as he tried to reassure himself of the Headmaster ignorance. 'Maybe this is why he is keeping such a distance between us this year? I just can't think about that right now. I have other things to worry about.' And indeed he did.

The Dark Lord, it seemed, had come to what senses he still possessed and was looking furious at Harry for his defiance. He just couldn't understand how it had happened. How had he, Lord Voldemort, not known that the boy who he had been trying to kill since he was 15 months old was a horcrux. A soul container. It was extremely worrisome, but what bothered him more was the fact that it seemed the piece of his soul had not been absorbed into the boy after all this time. It seemed to have little to no effect other than the mind connection. The Weasley girl, he had be told, had succumbed to the effects of his horcrux diary rather quickly. She had been possessed a few times before the diary was ultimately destroyed by the boy who's mind he was currently occupying. 'His magic must have been fighting the effects of it all this time.' Voldemort thought to himself with no little wonder. The fact that Potter had been able to subconsciously fight his horcrux and yet had still been able to have functioning magic at the level he had been practicing at meant he was extremely powerful. 'Perhaps he is closer to me in power then I originally thought.'

Leaving his soul piece here couldn't be tolerated. He was powerful but he would not be able to keep this piece of his soul safe if it remained in this slip of a boy. He had to act. He needed to re-absorb this piece into the larger piece he still retained inside himself. He had all ready lost the diary because of the foolish actions of Lucius Malfoy, he could not afford to lose another, even if he had not known of its existence until just a few minutes prior. He was unsure of the repercussion of how the whole would absorb this soul piece since it had resided in someone else's for such a long period of time. It would also mean Potter's power would no longer be concentrating on protecting him for being possessed and would therefore be available to him for use. He would turn into a more formidable opponent as a result. It didn't matter. He usually didn't do things hastily but he knew any moment he would have to stop possessing the boy, what had seemed like minutes inside this dream-scape, he knew, had only be a moment outside it. This boy couldn't keep this piece in him, even as poetic as it seemed to be, the boy simply couldn't be dealt with until it was back within his own soul and out of the youths. He would have to chance it.

"I am going to remove it." The Dark Lord said, "You will not interfere" he said in a softer, yet no less menacing tone. Before Harry could even blink twice Voldemort was standing with the soul piece cradled protectively in his arms. It was glowing softly, a reddish sort of light and the Man carrying it seemed to be in extreme pain for a moment before there was a blinding flash and the two had become one. Harry had only a moment to register the fact that Voldemort, although still snake like and pale, now looked somewhat human (he even had a nose!) when as quickly as the possession had started, it was done. Voldemort had left Harry's mind. The last things Harry's brain registered before he slipped gratefully into darkness was blinding pain is his scar, Dumbledore's aged face looking more worried than he had ever seen it, dozens of yelling voices, and lastly, Voldemort (looking troubled and exactly as human as he had last appeared in Harry's dream-scape) grabbing a faintly shocked Bellatrix and apparating away. 


	2. Happenings in the Hospital Wing

AN: Next Chapter! Yay! This is kinda just a building chapter. Ya know, just to set up the next one where many many things will happen. Sorry if its boring but its needed. Hopefully the next one will be up soon so we can get to the good stuff! Anyway I changed some things at the end of the first chapter so you may want to go back and read the last few paragraphs of chapter one, it will be important pretty soon. Oh and no, this isn't going to be a super!harry fic. Nope.

I had to get this out pretty quick so I hope I caught all the mistakes!

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**Happenings in the Hospital Wing**

Green eyes opened to an all to familiar sight. The Hospital Wing. Harry had spent so much time here over the years he could recognize where he was just by the smell which assaulted him once he regained consciousness. Reaching blindly for his glasses he hit something which was not the hard bedside table he had been expecting. Looking to his left he saw a figure dressed in glaring purple robes sitting in a rather large chair that was definitely out of place in the hospital wing where chairs were all hard and straight backed (Harry had always thought it was Madam Pomphreys way of keeping visitors at a minimum.) Although he couldn't see any distinguishing features because of his abominable eye sight, Harry knew exactly who was keeping him company. Albus Dumbledore. He was the only person he had ever known to wear such shocking colors on his robes. Harry's hand had bumped Dumbledore's hand, which he could only hope held the glasses he had been trying to reach.

"Here you are, my boy." Dumbledore said as he fit the a fore mentioned glasses into the ravens hand. Harry slipped the round spectacles on easily and pushed himself up and back so he was sitting with his back up against the brass bed railing at the head of the hospital bed. He bcould feel his back resting against the matching brass plaque Madam Pomphrey had magically affixed there as a gift to him at Christmas. The black etching read:

**Permanent Bed **

**Of One**

**Harry James Potter**

Harry had laughed himself silly when Madam Pomphrey has shown it to him when he had come to give her his own gift an oak plaque that ran across the top of her office doorframe facing the infirmary which said: "The Nurse is Here to Save Your Butt, Not Kiss it." Which went with the Matrons personality extremely well. She had loved it and immediately put it up, and no coaxing by the Headmaster could get her to take it down. Harry had seen Madam Pomphrey so much over the years that they had built quite a rapport. She was one of the few adults Harry trusted implicitly. Harry was pulled out of his musings by a throat being gently cleared.

Harry Turned to Professor Dumbledore, who didn't seem to be having any trouble looking at him _now. _He tried to keep as calm as possible as he looked into those blue orbs that always seemed to know exactly what was going on. The twinkle that was ever present seemed to have left completely and for a moment Harry felt a twinge of sorrow for him. Harry took stock of the man he had come to trust over the years, the man whom he was no longer sure of. He looked ancient in a way he had never looked before and Harry knew something bad was coming, what else could cause the great Albus Dumbledore to look so down-trodden? Harry suddenly remembered all that had happened this year. All the heart-ache and despair. All the times he needed this man and he was never there, not even to look him in the eye when he had his trial or when Harry had that horrible vision of Mr. Weasley's attack. Why was he here now?

"Headmaster?" Harry asked in a flat emotionless tone that did nothing to relay the anger and sadness that had welled up in him.

"My, dear boy," the Headmaster started, looking at Harry with compassion that, at the moment, he just didn't want to see. Harry felt angry at those simple words and the glass on his bed side table started to shake. Harry took a deep breath to calm himself and prepare for whatever the headmaster had to say. The glass stopped shaking, both occurrences going unnoticed to both men.

"There are many things we need to discuss and, if it would be agreeable, as soon as Madam Pomphrey deigns you sufficiently rested I would appreciate if you would come to my office."

Harry's eyebrows rose at that, had the Headmaster been reinstated all ready? As if reading his mind, which Harry thought may entirely be the case, the Headmaster answered.

"The Minister and his entourage saw for themselves this night that you and I had been, in fact, telling the truth about the re-birth of Voldemort when they arrived just moments before He and Bellatrix apparated from the Entrance Hall of the Ministry. They saw fit to reinstate me immediately, after my insistence of course." Harry noticed the twinkle was back for a moment before it disappeared again.

"I'll be there, sir." Harry said quietly. He didn't really want to talk to the man at all. He just wanted to lay here in the bed and try to forget all about this horrible night, but if he knew anything it was that the Headmaster was persistent and he wouldn't be getting any real rest until the man had his way.

"Thank you, child. I'll see you in a few hours." With that, the Headmaster rose and swiftly left the hospital wing.

Harry wanted to lay right back down and sleep, but he knew he couldn't do that. He needed to see how his friends were doing first and foremost, Hermione most of all. 'She was right that it was a trap.' Harry thought mournfully to himself, but shook that thought away quickly. If he started down that road he would have to think about what happened in the death chamber as well and he just couldn't face that right now. He would grieve and apportion blame later, right now he had other things to be getting on with, like seeing to his friends.

Swinging his legs carefully out of his hospital bed, noticing vaguely that someone had changed his clothes into the standard blue and white patterned hospital pajama bottoms and short sleeve top, Harry slipped his sock clad feet onto the floor and padded over to the privacy partisan surrounding the area around his bed. When he slipped his head through he realized there must have been a silencing charm around it as well, for as soon as he breached it, urgent talking could be heard at the end of the row of beds. Several of the beds had also been surrounded by partisans and Harry assumed his friends were behind many of these, however, Harry was more concerned about what was being done at the end of those rows. The door to one of the private rooms in the hall was opened and he could see Madam Pomphrey as well as Professor Snape bent over the bed, talking urgently to one another. Harry slipped out into the hospital proper and quietly started walking toward the room. As he got nearer he could see the two stop working on the person in the bed and step back to just inside the doorway. Looking past them slightly Harry could see potion bottles littering a small table next to the bed, laying along side them were plasters, cotton wool, and pastes. Harry could only guess the pastes were for scaring or pain. As he got closer, unnoticed by the two adults occupying the doorway, he could hear the conversation they were having and realized, with a jolt and ever rising sense of panic, that the person they had been working on was Hermione.

"I don't understand why Albus rejected your appeal to send Miss Granger to St. Mungos" Harry heard Professor Snape say without the usual sneer in his voice only looking slightly less composed then usual. "The healers there would be better equipped to deal with such extensive curse damage. There is not much more I can do to help you Poppy, I've exhausted my knowledge of healing all ready. Let me fire call St. Mungos for a Healer before the damage becomes irreparable, Albus be damned. As much as she exasperates me with her incessant hand waving, losing a child, even one as infuriating as this one, can not be permitted. Surely you see that?"

"Yes." Madam Pomphrey hissed at him, "If the child was that far gone I would not hesitate to immediately alert St. Mungos, Severus, I am a healer and my patients come first and foremost. Surely you don't think so little of me."

"Of course not Madam" Snape said sounding just the least bit chastised.

"Anyway," she continued briskly, pushing a piece of hair which had come out of the tight knot at the base of her neck back behind her ear. "The Headmaster indicated that as long as I could heal her she was to stay here to, as he put it, stave off questions an avoid any lingering danger. If her parents want her to go to St. Mungos, they can indicate that to the Headmaster when they arrive."

Professor Snape looked at her with a slightly incredulous expression that Harry knew must be reflected in his own. "I assume you haven't had the pleasure of interacting with this child on the level you have many of the other students?" He asked her.

"Not really, she's only been here once or twice for herself, but I glimpse her often enough when she visits Messrs Potter or Weasley."

"Then let me be the one to inform you just exactly why that statement is so ludicrous!" Professor Snape proclaimed, his sneer firmly back in place. "This child's parents are both muggles," he said lifting his hand to point at the a fore mentioned child "therefore, while the Headmaster will notify her parents of her temporary residency here in the hospital wing, they would have no way to get here or really understand the implications of such a injury. Neither would they be in a position to escort their daughter to get an opinion at St. Mungos even if they were aware of its existence and as I doubt Miss Granger has been there herself, they wouldn't even be able to find it!" He finished, his voice raised just slightly. "She should be sent, Madam, and a member of the staff should escort her parents there so they may be able to coddle and mother the child as a parent would have wont to do in this type of situation."

Harry was shocked. Was Snape really standing up for Hermione Granger? The Bane of his existence, well, one of them at least. He may not like her but he wanted to make sure the right thing was done and Harry's respect for the man rose quite a bit.

The nurse looked speechless for a moment and the said, "Be that as it may, Albus gave strict instruction not to contact St. Mungos unless completely necessary and at the moment it isn't. Although I would rather she was treated there, he led me to believe it wouldn't be safe for her nor for Messrs. Weasley and Potter who I also recommended should be treated there. I know the Weasleys will be taking young Ronald there to deal with mental as well as physical scarring caused from the memories those brains attacked him with. I am unsure how Harry and Miss Granger will be getting further treatment, though, and they will both need it."

"I was unaware Potter was harmed at all in the fray, as always his luck seemed to spare him the kind of injury the rest of his party seemed to have sustained." Snape sneered dismissively. Harry only had a moment to feel incredibly guilty about he friends being hurt before Madam Pomphrey shot back at the acerbic man,

"As a matter of fact, Severus Snape, Harry was harmed, just not in a way easily seen, and could be just as damaged mentally as Mr. Weasley."

"Indeed." Said Snape in a slightly curious way. "And what, may I ask, happened to Mr. Potter."

"Albus deems it necessary that the incident be kept secret, personally I think it idiotic to do so." She took a deep breath and then looked the potion master over appraisingly for a moment as if deeming him worthy of disobeying the headmaster. She seemed to think he was, for next she said, "He was possessed by you-know-who tonight, Severus. He managed to somehow force him out, but he was possessed never the less!" Snape looked astonished at the Matron for a moment before she continued. "Ginny Weasley was immediately taken to St. Mungos for a cleansing ritual by her parents when they were told she had been possessed in her first year, and I personally don't understand why the Headmaster seemed so against that same course of action in this instance. It is definitely needed to cleanse him of any residual presence or dark magics. I think Albus' want of secrecy in this is why he is refusing to send Mr. Potter and Miss Granger to St. Mungos as they should be, there would be questions about what exactly happened, but I can't for the life of me figure out exactly why the secrecy is needed."

Harry's thoughts were whirling. The Headmaster was purposely keeping he, Hermione, and Ron here at Hogwarts to keep questions from being answered about his possession. Harry was beginning to get a very bad feeling that the Headmaster knew exactly the nature of the connection he and Voldemort had before he took back his soul piece this evening, and that was why he was keeping anyone who could tell them of Harry's possession by Voldemort away. Would the healers there have been able to tell if he had had his scar examined by them earlier? The Headmaster obviously thought he knew something significant if he thought it so important to leave students with inadequate care to keep him here. 'Well it doesn't matter now, and anyway, if Hermione needs to go to the hospital then that is exactly where she is going to go. I have no reluctance going against the Headmaster on this even if they do.'

Turning smartly on his heel, Harry headed straight for Madam Pomphrey's office. He quietly opened the door and slipped in, surreptitiously checking to make sure the two adults were still at the other end of the hall and had not noticed him. Going over to the large fireplace within, he reached up to the white and yellow patterned jar on the Mantle, grabbed a handful of flue powder, threw it onto the fire in the grate, and while getting to his knees his stuck his head in the flames and shouted. " St. Mungo's."


	3. To the Hospital Pt 1

Authors note at the end!

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**To the Hospital We Go**

Green flame surrounded Harry as his head spun madly through the floo system for what was the third time in his life. While this journey was marginally better than the first or second time, probably due his keeping his eyes tightly shut, he still hated the sensation. When the dreadful spinning stopped Harry took a moment to compose himself and took a few deep breaths to try to ease the nausea that had settled in the pit of his stomach. Harry opened his eyes, focused after a moment, and was utterly confused. This was not the reception area he had visited during Christmas break. This was an empty room filled with more fireplaces. 'I guess this is the floo entrance' Harry thought to himself. The room was empty beside a chair, which sat in the corner to his left where an attendant was surely supposed to be sitting. There was only one exit, a pair of double white doors with a small rectangular window set into each was on the other side of the room directly opposite of were his head sat in the fire. Now he was faced with a dilemma. Having not been raised in the wizarding world he really did not know how to call for emergency help and just his luck, the attendant was absent. He decided the best thing to do was to fall back on what had always worked, using his instincts and winging it. That was how he found himself yelling in an unsure voice as loud as he could trying to avoid inhaling copious amounts of ash.

"Help! I need help here!" Feeling like a complete idiot Harry was about to withdraw and just come through (there was no telling when Madam Pomphrey would come back to her office and this plan hinged on getting St. Mungos notified before anyone at Hogwarts was the wiser) when a young man with light brown hair strode into the room distractedly reading a parchment. Harry assumed he was a Healer by the customary bright green robes and he was not wrong in his assumption. The nametag on the young man's robes read Healer Trainee Callum Shaw.

"The Reception area is straight through the doors," Healer Shaw said. He continued walking, seated himself on the chair in the corner, and continued the perusal of his parchment without looking in Harry's direction once.

"Uh, as good as that is to know, there have been some injuries at Hogwarts and there is at least one person who needs to be transported here. I'm guessing it's your job to help me with that, so could you put that parchment down and actually pay attention." These words made the Trainee stop his perusal for a moment and actually look to see who had spoken.

"Injuries at Hogwarts?" Trainee Healer Shaw said with a bit of disbelief, as if such a thing was beyond his understanding. "Don't you have a matron there who takes care of all the injuries?"

For a moment, Harry just looked at the man. Did he really just ask that? Did this guy think he would call if the Nurse could handle it? And did the git honestly think that a school nurse could heal anything and everything? Harry realized then, with a growing sense of exasperation and a bit of irritation, he was dealing with one of those people one ran across often in life. A person who was obviously smart but had extremely little common sense. He took a deep breath and endeavored not to lose his temper, well not to badly anyway, it wasn't really this guys fault he was so on edge right now.

"Yes," Harry said slowly, "but the girl, Hermione, was hexed with a very nasty curse and she was pretty critical. I think she is stable now but she would receive better treatment here. You had an Auror come in a bit ago, right? An Auror Tonks? Hermione's injuries are just as severe, if not worse." The Healer was starting to look at Harry with a bit of comprehension. "So can you stop asking questions and get up off your bloody arse and send someone through to get her?" The Healer was now looking a bit angry with Harry, but Harry did not care. For a moment he thought the healer was going to retort but Harry cut him off by saying "Thanks" with a big fake smile, and immediately pulling his head out of the fire.

He rolled his eyes as he walked out of the Matrons office. It was only then the raven-haired teen realized exactly what he had just done and while he was not regretting calling help for Hermione, which she obviously needed and was the right decision, there was one glaring drawback to his plan for helping his friend. If Madam Pomphrey saw him up and about she was going to realize he was the one to call for help. She and Snape would also probably realize the only way Harry would have had the insight to call the hospital would be if he had heard their conversation, this meant they would both know he had been eavesdropping.

"Not good." Harry whispered just under his breath. Snape would be angry but the youth was not as worried about him at the moment, no, Madam Pomphrey was a force to be reckoned with and he dreaded her reaction much more than the potion masters. Harry noticed both adults were still standing at the end of hall talking quietly to one another, and though they had moved a few steps into the ward, he had hopes he could get back into his bed and feign sleep before the contingent from St. Mungos could arrive. Maybe, just maybe, he could get out of this with his skin still intact because Madam Pomphrey would surely flay him if she found he had not only been out of bed, but had essentially broken into her office and used her floo. He didn't think she would be very upset about getting Hermione help since she herself had wanted Hermione to get proper care, but he didn't want to find out either way. As stealthily as he could he slipped through the ward. He had just reached the curtains surrounding his bed when he heard a voice from just down the hall that made his heart jump right into his throat.

"Mr. Potter," said a brick feminine voice "What exactly are you doing out of bed?" Harry turned slowly on the spot and, ignoring Snape completely, offered the witch his most charming smile while making his eyes as big and innocent as he could. "Nothing Madam, I just had to use the facilities, that's all." He knew it wouldn't work before he even opened his mouth. The Matron was not the type to be charmed, but he was desperate and decided he had nothing to lose. The boy tried to keep the smile on his face as he saw Snape raise a single brow and smirk slightly at his pathetic attempt to fool the woman. Just as the woman in question was narrowing her eyes and opening her mouth to administer what was sure to be a blistering admonishment, the door to her office quickly opened and two men in green robes hurried out.

For a moment Snape and Pomphrey stood there looking at the approaching healers completely gob-smacked, then both turned their confused and surprised faces, in tandem, toward the only other person in the room who could have called them. For his part, Harry refused to blush or look sheepish and merely crossed his arms defiantly over his chest and raised his eyebrows to the two in silent challenge. He may be afraid of both people who were looking at him, but he would not act ashamed of what he had done. It was the right thing to do even if they or the Headmaster did not deem it the right course of action. Risking Hermione, even if she was out of danger of dying for the moment, just to keep Harry away form the Hospital was just unacceptable any way you looked at it.

Harry did not have to endure these looks for long as the Healers had engaged Madam Pomphrey in conversation and she had little choice but to bring to two back to where Hermione was resting in her bed. As she walked off she gave Harry one last look which promised consequences he would surely not like. The boy decided he had been caught all ready so he abandoned all pretenses and started to walk slowly toward the door the three had just disappeared behind to try to hear what was happening. Something happened then that would be imprinted forever into Harry's mind.

As the boy walked passed the potion master, Snape stopped his progress by putting his left hand on the boys right shoulder. The boy looked up into the taller mans penetrating onyx eyes expecting to see what he always had seen; anger, disgust, and hatred, but what he saw instead was a spark of respect. Harry had long ago given up on proving to the man in front of him that he was not the arrogant berk he thought him to be, so seeing this small shred of something positive in the unrelenting gaze fairly astounded him. He felt strangely pleased that he had finally done something to win the man's hard won approval, and considering the evening's earlier happenings Harry was glad to have something positive to focus on, if even only for a moment. Of course, it was only a moment for Snape was a caustic man and still did not hold any great affection for him.

"I take it you slipped into Madam Pomphrey's office to floo the hospital after eavesdropping on a conversation not meant for you?" Snape said simultaneously raising that bloody eyebrow again. At Harry's nod, he immediately stated "Five points from Gryffindor." After smirking at Harry's thin-lipped expression the man then continued. "I suppose now the headmaster won't be able to keep everyone cloistered here at Hogwarts as he intended. Pity." The man turned abruptly and swept off throwing over his shoulder "Do tell the Matron I have gone to fetch the Grangers so I may escort them to the hospital to see to their daughter. I will be there shortly to oversee your care as you will need a representative of the school in loco parentis." Harry felt surprised at that. They were going to let him go and Snape was _volunteering _to escort him? Before he could process that statement he heard Snape say one last thing right as he reached the ward's doors.

"Oh, and Mr. Potter? Twenty points to Gryffindor for out-maneuvering the Headmaster." Harry was sure his jaw was almost touching the ground at this point but quickly snapped it shut when Snape looked at him and smirked. "How very Slytherin of you." With that, the man pulled open the oak double doors and disappeared into the darkened corridor.

Harry stood for a moment looking at the closed doors wondering if perhaps he was still unconscious and just having a very odd and vivid dream. He reached over and gave his arm a hard pinch. 'I am definitely still awake,' he thought to himself. 'No one is going to believe me when I tell them. He actually gave me points! The past few hours have been surreal. First Voldemort's soul piece, then my doubt about Dumbledore, and now Snape was actually pleasant to me.' Harry walked into the curtained area around his bed, grabbed his wand off the bedside table, slipped it into the waistband of his pajama bottoms, and then continued his walk down the center of the ward trying to figure out exactly what that had been. Harry didn't have time to think on it long for Madam Pomphrey and one of healers had exited the private room and started walking toward him.

"How is Hermione? She is going to go to St. Mungos right?" Harry asked the two. He was just trying to make sure his plan ultimately worked, and if it distracted Madam Pomphrey from the scathing diatribe she was assuredly planning to give him, well, that was just a added benefit.

"She will be just fine son." The Healer said placing a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. He was an older gentleman with dark skin and short black hair peppered sparsely with grey. He did not have his name on his tag, the one on his shirt only read _Emergency Healer Services. _"The other Healer used an emergency portkey to take her straight to the Fourth Floor of the Hospital to the Acerbusaum Veneficium Ward." At Harry's blank look, the healer elaborated. "It's the trauma ward for dark magic hexes and curses. The healers are probably all ready working on her, so no need to worry." He gave Harry a reassuring smile. "You, however, should be okay to floo to the hospital since you don't currently have any life threatening injury. I will take you straight to the Pectus Compospotis Ward where they deal with all Imperius and possession related injuries. Madam Pomphrey refused to tell me why you need to be taken there but I reckon she knows what she's talking about." Here he gave the Matron a wink and Harry watched wide-eyed as the formidable nurse, who no one at Hogwarts was willing to cross, blushed like a schoolgirl. Harry smirked to himself. This was the second time today Harry wished he had his own pensieve. No one was going to believe this!

Madam Pomphrey chose this moment to turn her attention to Harry and her expression immediately turned severe, the smirk slid clear off the boys face.

"Do not think for one moment that escaping to the hospital will save you Mr. Potter. You and I will be having a very frank discussion about exactly what happened in my hospital wing tonight when you return, and mark my words, it will not be pleasant!" She turned away and started to walk toward her office muttering things like "if you were mine" and "should have put a stop to it first year" "infernal old coot" and finally "a ruler to his backside would have been better medicine." Harry's cheeks turned distinctly pink at this comment and he and the older Healer shared a wary glance but continued to follow the witch. When they reached her office both men stepped towards the floo. Madam Pomphrey, it seemed, did not want to let Harry go without further chastisement and turned menacingly to further berate the boy, but sudden inspiration struck the young Gryffindor before she could begin.

Stepping up to the Matron who was just barely taller than he was, he wrapped his arms around her waist in an impromptu hug and said. "Thanks Madam Pomphrey, you're the best. Truly." Then pecked her on the cheek.

The Matron stood there for a moment, then reciprocated by placing both arms around the young man's shoulders, and said in a soft voice "Ridiculous boy, of course I do. How could anyone see you as often as I do and not?" She patted his cheek fondly and said "Off with you now," and pushed him toward the healer who was chuckling softly and shaking his head.

"Oh," Harry said, just remembering "Sna… I mean Professor Snape told me to let you know he was going to get Hermione's parents and then he was going to stay at the Hospital with me. He said I had to have a school rep there or something like that." She raised her brow at that.

"He volunteered to do that?" She asked with no little disbelief.

"I know it seems a bit off character doesn't it? He gave me points too, for "out-maneuvering the headmaster and then said it was very Slytherin!" Pomphrey just looked at him for a moment before she started chuckling to herself. She rounded her desk and sat down.

"That man is insufferable. He may act gruff, Harry, but he is a lonely soul. It seems you have gotten through to him a bit. No small feat.

Harry just looked at her with skepticism. "Riiight. Well bye Madam." He picked up some floo powder and disappeared in a flash of green flame.

The Healer, who had been watching the interplay silently finally spoke. "Harry Potter" he said musingly turning toward Poppy. "He's not at all like I thought he would be."

The Matron quirked a smile. "You have no idea how many times I've heard that." She then went back to the paperwork on her desk and the Healer took his leave as well.

Back in the floo room, Harry had landed and surprisingly stayed upright, although he did stumble quite a bit. Snickering made Harry whip his head around and whom should he find but Healer Trainee Callum Shaw. Joy. Harry just rolled his eyes and ignored the idiot. He did not know why but this guy just irked him. It was probably because his first impression of the man was him shirking his job, I mean really, there's a reason he was stationed there! Trainee Shaw, however, was not going to let their previous meeting slide and it was obvious he recognized Harry as the kid who had insulted him before.

"How old are you and you don't know how to floo correctly?" The Healer asked still snickering to himself. Harry just glared. "Maybe next time you should ask your mummy to hold your hand so you don't make a fool of yourself." That was entirely the wrong thing to say. If looks could kill the trainee would have been maimed, at the very least, by the venomous look shot at him by the young savior.

"My mother is dead." Harry said in a voice lacking emotion. Shaw turned white but it only vaguely registered as just a moment later the parchment in his hand burst into flames. That snapped Harry out of his foul mood quickly. The Healer had evidently totally forgotten he was a wizard as he proceeded to drop the parchment to the floor and started to stomp on it to put out the flames. Harry watched for a moment thinking he understood now why this trainee had been relegated to floo room before he pulled his wand out of his waistband and muttered " Aguamenti."

Before anything else could happen, the floo flashed green and the older Healer stepped out and surveyed to two young men silently. Healer Shaw spoke first.

"Good morning Healer Wells." Harry looked at his watch when he heard this. It read 5 a.m.

"Mmm." Said the man noncommittally. "Is everything OK here trainee?

"Yes sir. Everything is fine." He cast a glance and Harry. "No problems at all."

The man looked a bit disbelieving but evidently decided to let it go. "Well come along Mr. Potter lets not stand around here all day. You have a healer to see and I dare say you'll want to check on your friend before you go back to school."

"Yes sir." Harry said trying and failing to ignore the sputtering of Trainee Shaw who had obviously heard Healer Wells say his last name.

As he walked out the door following Wells, he heard the trainee call out. "Are you really Harry Potter?" Harry rolled his eyes but didn't even spare the young man a glance nor did he answer his question.

Catching up with Healer Wells, Harry decided it had been quite rude of him not to introduce himself sooner so he said. "I'm sorry sir, but I didn't catch your name in the infirmary. Healer Wells is it?'

The man looked down at Harry, for he was quite a bit taller, stopped walking and said "True we weren't introduced lad. I'm Healer Isaac Wells, you can call me Isaac, and I am the head of the Emergency Healer Services here in St. Mungos. I know your name all ready of course." He grinned down at the boy at this. Harry just grimaced. "I heard you grew up in the muggle world, so did I so I'll just explain how the systems are similar. EHS is a lot like calling 999 for Emergency Medical Services only we can get help to patients more quickly and portkey critical or non-mobile patients back so our response time is loads better. The kid back there has a device which lets the on-call team know that help is needed. Two Healers are dispatched to the floo room and then proceed to wherever it is they are needed. Similar to the muggle system, just a lot faster."

They had stopped walking so Harry looked around and found the hall he had just exited led straight into the reception area. The room was completely empty (not to surprising so early in the day) except for the welcome witch. They began walking again and Healer Wells, or Isaac as he asked Harry to call him, walked right past the welcome witch with a nod but Harry stopped.

"Hello Miss." He said to the brown haired woman sitting filing her nails behind the desk. She looked up at Harry eyes flickering to his scar momentarily before she abruptly dropped her file. Pink cheeked, the woman picked her file back up and said. "What can I do for you today?"

"I was wondering if you could do me a favor." He asked the woman. She nodded and he continued. "A professor from Hogwarts will be here in a bit, Severus Snape. Do you know him?"

She nodded her head again and said, "Yes he delivers potions here sometimes."

"Good. Could you let him know I'll be…?" Here he looked at Isaac inquiringly. He had drifted over after he noticed Harry was no longer with him.

"Fourth Floor" he said shortly.

"Could you tell him please that I'll be on the Fourth Floor?" She smiled charmingly at him and nodded again. "Thank you." He said giving a smile of his own. As he walked off, he could see her picking up a quill and searching her desk for parchment. He had a feeling by the end of the hour everyone in the wizarding world was going to know he was here. That meant reporters, and he really could not handle that right now. He decided to nip in the bed right now. Harry stopped, turned around, and called back to her. "Oh, and Miss?" She turned and looked at him expectantly. "I truly hope no one has the bad sense to contact the Prophet or any one else about me being here. It would surely be a shame to lose ones job over breaching patient confidentiality." He stared steadily at her as she put her quill down looking crestfallen and ashen. He smiled at her approvingly. No need to make her feel too bad. He then turned around, smiled at Isaac, and said. "Lead on."

"Nicely Handled." Was all the man said.

Harry thought so too, although he new it was just a matter of time until the whole wizarding world knew he was here. He just hoped it happened a lot later. Harry was tired, well, tired did not even begin to cover how he felt. He was weary and heartsick and if one more thing happened, he didn't think he would be able to control himself.

Isaac led Harry a little way down the hall and stopped at a blank expanse of wall with six small square plaques of some type of dark marbled stone vertically placed and evenly spaced. Each stone was approximately 10cm by 10cm and had a different rune carved in each. Harry did not remember seeing this last time he was here and he really had no idea what they were doing, but he was not in a huge hurry to get to the Fourth Floo so he wasn't too worried. Snape wasn't even here yet!

"What exactly is this Hea… I mean Isaac?" It was going to take a bit of time to get used to being so informal with an adult.

"Oh, well I suppose you haven't seen this before," said the man. "This, young man, is called a Healers Gateway. This is exclusive magic in hospitals in the magical world. Basically, it is like a portal to whichever floor you select.

He pointed to the top most rune. "This is the fifth floor access rune," He slid his hand down until he touched the bottom one. "and the runes descend to the ground floor rune. Basically, these gateways were made so it is easier to move patients from floor to floor or to evacuate the hospital quickly and efficiently in case of an emergency or attack. It's just a bonus that we don't have to take the stairs constantly." Here he gave Harry a mischievous wink. "Here let me show you how it works."

Isaac took out his wand and tapped it on the second rune down and it turned a glowing gold color for a moment. "It glows here and at on the corresponding floor to let any Healer on the other side know the Gateway is about to open." He said conspiratorially. The rune stopped glowing then and the wall on the right side of the runes started to ripple and started disappearing until the gateway was large enough for at least five full-grown men to fit through easily side by side. At the top there was a decorative arch, the highest point of which touched the ceiling. Harry could see how this would be ideal for moving or evacuating patients.

Isaac continued his explanation as Harry studied the runes and the gateway. "Only Healers and official hospital workers can see where the runes are and access them. When a person is hired here at St. Mungos or at any other magical hospital in the world the first day all of these gateways are keyed to the person's magical signature. To use it a keyed in person just taps their wand on the rune of the floor they wish to access. This system is obviously for staff and patient use only but it does not really matter if you know. A guest can only see the runes or gateway when someone who's magical signature is keyed in stands in front of the entrance with them, otherwise visitor and unescorted patients cannot see the runes or an open gateway. So even though you see it now you can't access it, and if you came back to this spot unescorted you would not be able to see the runes even though you know they are there."

"Wow." Was all Harry could say.

Isaac chuckled. "Wow indeed young man. Would you like to know more?" Harry nodded. Well, there are four Healer Gateways on each floor…"

Harry interrupted here. "If each floor has four of these gateways, then how do you know which one you will come out of on the floor you are going to?" Harry hoped that sentence made sense to the man.

"Good question." He said steering Harry through the portal. "The gateways come in sets. North, South, East, and West." The gateway closed behind them as Isaac led Harry to the right and then down a corridor to the left. "There is a gateway on each of those sides of the hospital on every floor. The Gateways on the east side of the building only go to the other floors Gateways on that side. The same thing goes for the others as well. The gateway we just used was on the North side of the building so we traveled from North Gateway Ground to North Gateway Four. It is kind of like a muggle elevator that way only it is almost instantaneous. You cannot cross over from North to South, etc. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, I think I get it." The boy said.

"Well good because here is your stop." He had stopped in front off a set of double doors set into the left side of the corridor about halfway down. There was a brass sign on the left of the doors, which read:

**Pectus Compospotis Ward**

**Post Care for Possession and Imperio**

**Healer Cameron Morris**

**Matron Sophia Mitchell**

"Healer Morris has been the Healer in this ward for about 50 years now. He knows his stuff. You'll be in safe hands until your Professor gets here."

"Thanks Isaac" Harry stuck out his hand for the man to shake. When the man grasped his hand firmly Harry continued, "And I really appreciate you telling me all this stuff while we were walking. It really was interesting." Harry released the mans hand. "I had wondered how patients were transported around the hospital the last time I was here, since the wizarding world doesn't have lifts. Anyway, thanks again." Isaac nodded and began to walk down the hall. When he turned to corner Harry turned back to the doors, took a deep breath and opened them.

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AN: Well I am totally unhappy with this chapter. I know I said we would really start getting into things this chapter but it seemed my mind had other ideas. Next chapter for sure for the Dumbledore confrontation and just to be clear, while he is a manipulating old bastard he really does care about Harry so there won't be any Albus bashing but Harry won't trust him for a long long while, if he ever does again, and Harry is going to be hurt and pissed with him for a while. Harry does some interesting things this chapter. I try to convey the affection Harry and Madam Pomphrey feel for one another, not sure that worked well. Harry gets mouthy again and I added some seemingly random scenes with a hospital attendant to try and show Harry's ability to access all of his magic now and hes more powerful for it. Even if he doesn't know it yet. All in all this chapter is definitely not my best but hopefully I'll make up for it next chapter. *Sighs*


	4. To the Hospital Pt 2

First of all, I'd like to apologize for how long this took! I had some snags and trouble but I finally finished it. I know everyone has been waiting for the Dumbledore confrontation and It will def happen next chapter...for sure. I'm serious this time.

Thank you everyone who has favorited, alerted, or reviewed. Seriously I wasn't expecting so large a response! Hope you enjoy this chapter.

I don't have beta, so there are sure to be mistakes. If any of you are interested or know a good beta, let me know! Enjoy!

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**Happenings at the Hospital - Part 2**

Harry opened the doors to the Pectus Compospotis Ward and was a little surprised by what he saw. He expected an open ward which looked similar to where Mr. Weasley had been during the winter, but this ward was very different. The first thing he noticed was the ward looked more like an office. The walls were covered in striped wallpaper in different shades of cream and the floor was a dark hard wood covered largely by a pale gold shag rug. In the middle of the room stood a large desk with a comfortable looking dark leather chair behind it and two brown leather wingback chairs in front of it. There with a few instruments on the desk and they reminded him a bit of ones he had seen in Professor Dumbledore's office throughout his many visits over the years. He could see a few picture frames along the edge of the desk and a name gold nameplate, which read:

**Attending Matron Sophia Mitchell**.

The Matron was not currently at her desk so Harry looked around and saw a small love seat lay on each side of the double doors he just entered with a table that matched the desk in front of each. The tables only had a few books and magazines, the way they were neatly organized made Harry think there was rarely need for them to be used. He turned back around and saw there were three closed doors on the wall directly behind the desk; each was numbered with a little golden one, two, or three, which had been placed in the upper middle portion of each door. There was also a door on the right with a golden plaque with Lavatory inscribed on it, and the left side door had a similar golden plaque but this one was inscribed with:

**Healer Cameron Morris.**

Now that he had seen everything in the room, he was at a loss for what he should do. 'This hospital seems full of absentee workers. Every time I show up no one is around.' Harry looked around tentatively one more time before the decided to knock on the Healers door. 'Snape should be here soon' he thought, 'and I definitely don't want to be still standing here looking around like an idiot.' With that in mind, Harry strode up to the Healers door and knocked three times.

The door opened and a pixie like woman appeared. She was short, maybe 5ft 2inch tall, with a tiny frame and blonde hair that just past her shoulders and was pulled back into a ponytail at the base of her neck. She had on blue cotton pants and a white t-shirt under an open blue robe that matched her trousers exactly. She was probably around the age that his mom would be if she had lived and she was quite pretty. Harry assumed she was the Matron whose desk was behind him, Matron Mitchell, or was it Madam?

The woman stepped out into the office proper, shutting the door behind her as she did. She walked over to her desk, and sat down in the large leather chair and motioned for him to take a seat opposite.

As Harry sat his mind wandered briefly and one extremely worrying thought crossed his mind. What would happen when he told this woman he was possessed by Voldemort? Yes, it was her job to deal with patients recovering from possession and the Imperius curse, so the possession itself wouldn't be anything she wouldn't be used to but he was Harry Potter, The-boy-who-was-a-lunatic. He wasn't sure how well it would go over if he brashly proclaimed he was possessed by the Dark Lord many still believed dead. According to The Prophet, he was still an unstable liar for proclaiming Voldemort's rebirth, and while The Minister and many ministry officials were now privy to this truth he sincerely doubted it had trickled down to very many in the hospital yet. 'Maybe' he thought 'this wasn't such a grad idea.' The Matron interrupted his thoughts.

"Well young man, I suppose you are here to see the Healer, You do know this ward is for treating the after effects of being under the Imperius Curse or Cleansing after being Possessed by a sentient being?

"Yes ma'am" He answered, "Madam Pomfrey sent me for a Cleansing Ritual I suppose."

She nodded her head a bit to herself understanding what he was implying. "Well, Healer Morris isn't here quite yet. It is a bit early you know, just ten past five." She smiled at the apologetic look Harry was giving her. "Now," she said briskly "He won't be in until about six, but I suppose I can get your information and we'll go from there." Harry fidgeted a little in his seat at this hoping for the first time since he had met the man that Snape would hurry up and get here.

Ms. Mitchell, as Harry had decided to call her until otherwise instructed, was rummaging in her desk drawer, pulled out a bit of parchment, and set it on the desk, a quill quickly following. The quill looked a bit like Rita Skeeter's and although not acid green, it did hover over the parchment on its own ready to take dictation.

"Are your parents going to be here soon? She asked, startling Harry a bit. "We will need their consent to speak with you about your experience, and the Healer will need to explain any treatment with them before it can be administered." Harry breathed an internal sigh of relief. He would not have to start without Snape.

"No ma'am my guardians are muggles and wouldn't really understand so Professor Snape, the potions teacher at Hogwarts, is coming to be my representative. He should be here soon, he had to stop and collect another student's parent."

"Hmm." Was her only response to this. "Well I'll go ahead and see if you all ready have a file. Most wizarding children were at least born here, and so have one." As she pulled her wand out of an inside breast pocket in her robes she absent mindedly asked him, "What's your name dear?"

The young man cleared his throat quietly before saying as confidently as he could. "Harry Potter."

The Matron froze immediately and slowly lifted her head to gaze at the boy sitting in front of her. Her eyes briefly flicked to the scar on his forehead and then back to his bright green eyes. Harry noted she only looked surprised and took that as good sign. She seemed to visibly pull herself together and resumed retrieving her wand from her robes. She shook her head a bit, chuckled to herself and said, "Sorry about that Harry. May I call you Harry?" He nodded his head. "I just wasn't expecting that at all and I lost my head for a moment. It won't happen again, promise." As she said the word promise, she crossed her heart and gave him a little wink. Harry gave a little cheer in his mind. Score one for Potter! Finally, something had gone his way.

"Well, lets go ahead and summon your file then. " She took her wad and briskly tapped it once on an empty tray on her desk and said very clearly, "Harry Potter."

Nothing Happened.

She pursed her mouth to the side and a crinkle formed in between her brows. "Maybe I should try with your middle name."

"It's James." He told her

She repeated her actions and this time pronounced his full name. "Harry James Potter." This time it worked and a very thin blue folder appeared in the tray. She looked at it and then said, "Oh, I see. Next time you're here at the hospital, remember to give your full Christian name. It will make it easier to summon your file." She gave him a small smile, opened the folder and started to peruse the documents within it.

Harry had no idea what this woman was talking about. As far as he knew Harry was his full Christian name so he craned his neck a bit peeked at the tab on the folder. It read; Potter, Harrison James. Said boy just stared blankly for a moment and then schooled his face to look impassive while inside he was upset and embarrassed. The Dursley's had only ever called him Harry, the same for the teachers at Hogwarts and in Primary School. He distinctly remembered McGonagall calling Potter, Harry at the sorting ceremony in his first year. It was incredibly embarrassing to him that he had not even known his first name. More so since he was sure Lupin, Sirius, and pretty much anyone who had regular contact with his parents around the time of his birth knew Harry was just a shortening of his name. Although, considering they were in hiding, they were probably precious few. He knew couldn't blame anyone for not telling him because who would imagine he was unaware of it. Everyone probably just assumed he preferred Harry. The boy decided just to forget it for the moment. It wasn't truly important and getting all upset would not do any good at all. 'Just enjoy the fact that while you didn't know before you do know and it is a pretty nice name.' He thought and then let a little grin slide briefly across his face. 'At any rate, it could have been something worse, like Harold.'

Harry sat quietly for a few minutes watching the Matron going through his file dictating who knows what to the furiously scribbling quill beside her. She finally finished whatever preliminary tasks she needed, closed the file, and stood up.

"I'm going to go ahead and put you in Room One. When your Professor gets here, I'll send him in and you can both wait for Healer Morris to arrive. He will come in, interview you, determine what, if any, rituals are needed, if you need a Mind Healer, Counselor, etc. She opened the door and Harry walked in.

It was now 5:40 and Harry was pacing in a surprisingly cozy exam room. It was a fair sized room, large enough for him to pace in. The floor was the same dark hardwood as the office. The top two thirds of the walls were all an off-white color while the bottom third was striped wallpaper similar to the one on the outside office walls only it was a medium gold color, a thin wooden strip of molding which matched the floor separated the two sections. There was an exam table with only a white fitted sheet on it in the right upper corner of the room with the end jutting toward the center of the room. There were two high back wooden chairs next to the bed against the back wall, beside those was a wooden table, which looked as though it were suspended out of the wall and had no legs, another wooden chair tucked underneath.

Harry truly thought the room was very cozy and warm and not at all what you would expect to find as an exam room in a hospital. While it made a very comfortable place to wait, it was still a wait, which is why Harry was pacing. He hated waiting, really really hated it. Waiting was a torture he had to endure while at the Dursley's. In his cupboard, and later in Dudley's second bedroom, he had gotten copious amounts of practice in waiting, being locked in ensured it, so while he could be patient and endure a wait of almost any length he still loathed it.

Harry was usually able to endure the tedium in silence with only his thoughts for distraction, but right now thinking could prove extremely detrimental. For the last few hours he had been kept perpetually busy with various things, but now he was alone and thoughts of what had happened in The Death Chamber were starting to come to the forefront of his mind. He could not escape the fact that Sirius was dead and the thought made his throat clog and his eyes prickle. He could not remember the last time he had actually cried, much less in so public a place, but if he were left with his thought for too much longer, he would break down completely. He wanted to mourn the man who had been his only father figure but not here, he wanted to be alone with his heartbreak and self-recrimination, to shed the tears he so desperately wanted to.

Salvation came in the form of one Severus Snape. Even in his saddened state Harry could appreciate the mans flair for the dramatic. The door fairly flew open, but did not bang the wall as Snape still has his hand clenched around the doorknob. Still it made Harry jump a bit. He had to admit Snape cut quite an impressive figure standing there in the doorway looking menacing in his crisp black robes, not that Harry would ever tell him that, though he was sure the man knew. Harry's pacing had stopped for a moment when Snape made his entrance and as he watched the man tightly shut the door and walk briskly to the two chairs by the bed and sat, but as soon as Snape sat the pacing began again.

"Did you get the Grangers?" The boy asked. , grasping for something to distract him from his previous thoughts.

"I said I would, did I not, Mr. Potter?" The man replied.

Harry sighed, ran a hand through his perpetually messy hair, and continued his pacing. "Yes sir, I just wanted to make sure." The two lapsed into silence for a few minutes until Harry could no longer refrain from asking, "Did you see Hermione? Is she doing better?"

Snape had his eyes trained on Harry, watching as he paced across the room. "I did indeed see Miss. Granger. She regained consciousness long enough to reassure her parents, Gryffindor that she is, and to inquire on her co-conspirators fates before she fell asleep. She should be just fine in a few days so will you please cease your infernal pacing before you drive me to madness!" This was said through gritted teeth and was practically hissed.

Harry stopped pacing, momentarily surprised by the intensity in the man's voice. Harry raised his eyebrows a bit. The professor answered his unasked question. "Contrary to popular belief I am not nocturnal and so do require the minimum of sleep recommended for a human. As of approximately fifteen minutes ago, I have been awake for an entire 24-hour period. Let me just explain to you now Potter, in those 24 hours I have had to teach unruly dunderheaded teenagers, contain damage from four exploded cauldrons, calm distraught owl and newt students, deal with that idiotic excuse for a headmistress, traipse through the forest looking for you and your cohorts, and explain where you were most likely headed to panicking order members. Then during the time I should have been sleeping I brewed 3 different potions for the infirmary, spent a great deal of magic healing Miss Granger, had to deal with one infuriating twinkly eyed old man, and finally I had to navigate muggle London and explain to two hysterical and enraged parents exactly how it was their daughter came to be at hospital. I am exhausted and extremely irascible because of it. The fact that you have enough energy to pace at this point irritates me even more. So, Mr. Potter, I do believe it is in your best interest to sit down before I decide, in a fit of sleep deprived madness, to do you permanent damage."

Harry stood for a moment looking at the obviously bad tempered man before snorting and crossing his arms. Harry wandered over to the seat next to the potion master and sat. "I would have figured you to be the type to be able to go long periods with out sleep. It just seems to me to be fitting with your character somehow." The teen said with a bit of cheek.

"Yes, well, I would have figured after all of your life or death experiences over the years you would gain a modicum of self preservation. It seems we were both mistaken."

Harry chose not to comment and just settled for a roll of his eyes. "Do you think the Headmaster knows we aren't in Hogwarts right now?"

The man quirked his brow at the boy and asked sarcastically "Do you see him trying to drag you back to the school 'for your safety'?"

"No."

"That was a rhetorical question, stupid boy! Of course he does not know yet. He would have interfered somehow if he knew. Poppy was a Slytherin after all, she knows how to keep her head down and her mouth shut. I have no idea why the man was so adverse to you and the girl getting deserved treatment from here. All was needed was supervision to make sure you and she remained safe."

"Don't call me stupid." The boy said quietly, mostly as a reflex. Harry thought he knew why the Headmaster didn't want he and Hermione to come and it scared him to think of it. If the man had known of the soul piece… Harry sat for a few moments thinking of what that could mean and how it would change his perception of the man for whom he had so much respect. He may be extremely mad at the Headmaster for ignoring him all year, but this would be a totally different level. He would just wait until he could confront the man. He looked over and saw Snape had been watching him and had an assessing look on his face.

"You know why?" He asked simply

"Maybe." Was all the boy said before raising his left hand to his mouth and chewing on his thumbnail.

Snape seemed to be waiting for an explanation and crossed his arms and glowered menacing at the boy when none was forthcoming. "Well? Are you just going to sit there staring like an idiot or are you going to explain."

Harry cut his eyes over to the man and said sweetly "I'll sit staring, thanks very much." Then continued the chewing of his nail.

"Do not be cheeky with me." He said dangerously "And for Merlin's sake, take your hand out of your mouth. You are fifteen not five." He tapped Harry's hand with two of his fingers.

"Do you always have to be so positive? I mean truly your compliments and encouraging attitude can be a bit too much." Harry deadpanned.

Snape clapped his hands twice at that. "I was unaware Gryffindors were able to be sarcastic. Congratulations, Mr. Potter, you are finally growing up, although one wouldn't know since you found it appropriate for wander around barefoot in nothing but your pajamas." Harry flushed a bit at the reminder.

Snape smirked "You get far too many compliments and encouragements as it is, it is not my job to pander to your over inflated ego."

So for the next fifteen minutes Harry and Severus argued back and forth about inconsequential things. The banter and insults leant a bit of normalcy to a stressful situation and, though neither would say it, it was welcomed by both to relieve the worry and tedium.

A quick knock on the door interrupted the two. Harry kept his seat, but Snape immediately stood and took a step to his right so he was standing slightly in front of Harry. "Paranoid much?" Harry muttered. Snape shot a venomous look over his shoulder but said nothing in return.

Healer Morris was almost exactly how Harry had pictured him. He was an older man of about 80 or so, Harry was never very good at pinpointing ages in the wizarding world, and he was barrel-chested and a bit heavy set. He was taller than Harry by two inches at 5ft 11 and had short auburn hair. His lined face sported a thick goatee which was the same color as his hair only interspersed lightly with gray. He didn't look at all surprised by Snape's protective stance, he just quietly shut the door and strode over to the man and held out his hand.

"Good morning sir, I'm Healer Cameron Morris and I'm the presiding Healer in this ward."

"Severus Snape." The man replied briefly shaking the Healers hand.

The Healer nodded at this and took a seat behind the desk. Snape evidently detected malice from the man and so returned to his seat at Harry's side, the boy retaining his seat closest to the Healers desk.

"You must be Harrison then." The man stated holding his hand out to Harry as well.

The boy immediately shook the offered hand and replied, "Yes sir."

Healer Morris dipped his head, turned toward his desk, and opened the chart he had brought with him while taking out a pair of square spectacles and placing them on the tip of his nose. Snape caught his eye and looked at him in silent question. Harry assumed he was asking about his name. He mouthed, "I didn't know either." To which the man raised both brows in surprise and shook his head faintly.

"So," the man said, "it says here you haven't been seen by Healer here since you were 12 months old?"

"No sir"

"I would have thought after being hit with the killing curse you would have been brought strait here for examination after surviving such potent dark magic. That obviously did not happen. Would you mind telling me the treatment you received after that occurrence, just out of profession curiosity?" The man sounded only curious and Snape looked it as well, and since there really wasn't anything to tell, he told them.

"As far as I know, sir, I was taken directly from the wreckage by Rubeus Hagrid, a member of the Hogwarts staff, and brought to Professor Dumbledore who was waiting at my muggle Aunt and Uncles home. From there I was left on the doorstep with a letter explaining about my parent's death and my survival. Hagrid told me the story himself so I guess I never received any specific care after the incident.

There was complete silence following Harry's statement. Snape was the first to break the staring contest by huffing and pinching the bridge of his nose. Healer Morris did not even try to hide his appalled expression and then said "Well I do believe I'd like to run some scans for ridicule dark magic first, that really should have been done that evening, I can not believe Albus we be so neglectful as to forget. After that, we will discuss your possession and decide on the rituals needed to purify your soul and magic from any outside influence and any harmful dark magic residue your possessor may have left behind. All right?"

"Yes sir." Harry said

"All right then lad, I'm going to leave the room and while I'm gone I need you to strip down to your pants and hop up on the exam table." Harry blushed a bit at that and the Healer chuckled a bit, stood up and walked toward the door. "Well I'll let you get to it then." he said and then slipped out the door.

As embarrassing as the idea was to Harry, he figured Snape seeing him in his shorts was not all that different from changing in the dorms. The man himself didn't seem to care nor did he seem to be leaving so Harry quickly slipped out of his hospital pajamas, folded them neatly and set them on his chair, he took his wand with him, however. Harry quietly padded over the exam table and hopped onto it. It was a little cold in the room now that Harry was practically naked so he sat his wand down and wrapped his right arm around his torso as he nervously started chewing on his left thumbnail again. He heard a rustle of fabric to his right and glanced over to see Snape walking toward him. The man stopped just next to him and sharply tapped Harry's left hand so he would stop chewing on his nail. Then he took out his wand and muttered something and Harry started to fell warm again.

"Thanks." The boy muttered.

"Hmmm. Perhaps you should remember you are a wizard Mr. Potter, you could have done that yourself." He took Harry's left hand and examined the thumbnail. "Well I knew you had no self preservation but you are self destructive as well?" He asked looking at the nail Harry and managed to mangle in the short time they had sat waiting. "Nervous habit" the boy said.

Hmmm." The man said again. "So… Harrison is it?" He said with a little smirk.

"I guess. I didn't know either until I saw it on the chart." Harry seemed to realize Snape could royally embarrass him by revealing his ignorance so he thought quickly and said "and if you tell anyone I didn't know that, I'll spread the rumor that your animagus form is a bunny."

Instead of looking angry Snape only looked amused. "The Golden Boy seems to be turning a bit silver. You would lie?"

"Don't doubt it." Harry said.

"I was not planning on revealing your ignorance to anyone save Albus." The man was looking at him speculatively again. "I do believe we can make a Slytherin of you yet." Harry just ignored him. If only he knew.

Healer Morris returned shortly after their conversation. "Are you ready lad?" Harry nodded a bit. "Then go ahead and lay down and I'll go ahead and start the scan." Harry did as the man instructed while the man started explaining. "Usually Dark magic fades on its own, and counters to curses and Hexes purge anything remaining residual automatically. Possession is different as the darkness lingers a bit, that is why cleansing rituals are essential. A persons magic will normally unconsciously contain the dark magic, so not only is the person weaker magically, but until the foreign magic is cleansed It is much easier for possession to occur again. I really do not know if the dark magic from the killing curse will linger but I think it would be best to go ahead and check since there is no real precedence. Now Harrison, I'm going to start at your feet and work my way up."

So Healer Morris began chanting In Latin but suddenly stopped. "Do you have any type of charm on right now? There is some interference and this spell will not work if there is any active magic on the subject."

Harry was confused for a brief moment before he realized he did have on a glamour, he always did. It hid a very ugly scar, which ran down his back. Harry willed the glamour away and felt the tell tale tingle which let him know the glamour had been canceled.

"Sorry about that." He said. Snape looked him up and down a moment and saw no change. A crease formed in between his brow, but Harry was not about to explain.

"No problem, I should have let you know a head of time." Healer Morris then started the chant again. Harry noticed the quill on the desk seemed poised to start dictating but had yet to do anything. The Healer held his wand horizontally about six inches above Harry's body and was slowly moving it up over his shins, then his knees until Harry's right hand suddenly flared a sickly pea green color. The Healer stopped chanting picked up Harry's hand to examine it and blanched.

"Start Dictation." The quill on the desk twitched. "Residual Dark Magic Exam of Harrison James Potter, age 15. Scars from evident use of Dark object, probably blood quill, on right hand. Scars read 'I must not tell lies.' Force probable. Will investigate and refer patient to Primary Healers for further investigation and recourse. End dictation."

At this point Snape had slid closer and asked "May I?" to the Healer, not even glancing at Harry. Harry didn't like that at all so as the Potion Master went to grasp his hand the boy quickly snatched it out of both men's grip. Snape turned and glared at him for a moment. "May I see your hand Mr. Potter?" Harry silently handed the man his hand. Healer Morris and Professor Snape both examined his hand for a few moments; the Healer even murmured a spell over his hand and read the runes which appeared in the air in front of him, obviously the results of whatever scan he had run. Harry felt embarrassed by all this attention, but he was also mad. He had not known the quill was a dark object, she had used it on countless students for Merlin sake!

"This scar is from a blood quill I expect?" The Healer asked. Harry silently nodded. "Who did this, and why." The Healer sounded supremely unhappy, as did Snape.

"Madam Umbridge assigned me a lot of detentions this year. She made me write lines in every one of them with the blood quill she had."

Snape looked livid. "Use of a blood quill has been illegal for over 50 years and has been banned as punishment at Hogwarts for longer than that. Why did you not let anyone know?"

"Do you really think it would have made much difference if I had?" The boy asked angrily. "She's the Undersecretary to the Minister and everyone thought me a liar! I didn't know she wasn't allowed to use it but there were quite a few things she did this year that weren't legal. If I had complained, she would have passed a decree to overturn my complaint and I would have still had to use the stupid thing. It definitely did not seem worth it, plus we all figured Dumbledore knew and I think everyone else kept their mouth shut because he didn't interfere when it was me, his supposed favorite." He finished his tirade a little breathlessly. He knew it wasn't fair to lose his temper at Snape, it wasn't the mans fault.

"Did you just say 'We" Harrison?" The healer asked.

"Yes sir, most of the Gryffindors had detention with her this year and I saw quite a few people with bandages and Murtlap Essence afterward. I am unsure if anyone else scarred though. I'm not real sure how many people from the other house either."

The Healer and Snape shared a look after which Snape said, "I will start the necessary investigations at the school."

"Good. Harry, use of blood quills on anyone is illegal. After everything is done here I will be sending you to the ground floor where the Family Healers offices are and they are gong to give you a full work up and document this." The Healer held up his hand to forestall any complaint on Harry's part. "This is necessary, lad, and I would really appreciate your cooperation."

When Harry still looked mutinous Snape put in his two Knuts worth. "If not for yourself, Potter, do this for the other students who she hurt. Not only will she most likely be sent to Azkaban, she will lose her ministry position and any bills she has written will be under scrutiny. You well know her stance on creatures and it is largely due to her influence that many discriminatory bills have passed in the last few years. This is not just about you." Well that convinced Harry. He knew Snape was exploiting his weakness for helping others and while it infuriated the boy, he new Snape was right.

"Fine. Freaking Manipulative Slytherin." Snape smirked in a triumphant way.

"Always." He said. "Now be still and let the man finish his scans but rest assured, Mr. Potter, you and I will be having a discussion about that mouth of yours when we get back to Hogwarts." Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

Healer Morris then continued his scan starting at Harry's belly button and slowly working his way up. When he finally reached Harry's curse scar the Healer nearly dropped his wand in shock.

"What is it?" Harry asked urgently although he had the feeling he all ready knew exactly what the Healer had found.

Healer Morris said, "If you'll excuse me for one moment I will be right back." Harry really did not like that response so he looked at Snape to see if he would be more forth coming.

"Your scar glowed a deep black when his spell ran over it. I have no idea what it mean, maybe the intensity of the dark magic residue. You could not see your body as he ran the scan but there seemed to be a faint grey film over your body as he moved his wand. I can only assume this signify's the residue from the possession." Snape looked worried and Harry could not blame him. Harry, of course knew the probable cause of all the residual dark magic was the soul piece Voldemort removed a few hours ago but the two men did not know this.

'Maybe I should tell them.' He thought briefly. If his scar had turned black, it must mean a mad amount of residual dark magic was residing, and Harry had no idea if Healer Morris needed to know about the soul piece in order to cleanse him properly. However, Harry really didn't understand the ramifications of this getting out besides the obvious fact that the ministry may see him as a threat should they find out. That could turn out very bad for him. The Headmaster would probably tell him to keep it to himself, but should he really care about what the Headmaster would want? The man had been keeping his own counsel this year and answers were never exactly forth coming at the best of times. If he waited to tell the Headmaster he may never know the significance of Voldemort's soul residing in himself. He wanted to know, no, needed to know all he could about this if he wanted to properly confront the Headmaster. The man had proven to him so far this year that he was willing to keep Harry in the dark, and the boy wasn't sure he could trust the old man to be completely honest with him.

Harry did know he had to be careful about who he divulged this information to, but even so, it was really time for him to start looking out for his own well being a bit. He made up his mind. If the two men needed to know he would tell them, but not before making them take an oath of secrecy, otherwise he would seek an explanation from the Headmaster first. If his answers left anything to be desired, well, then Harry would just seek his own answers.

A few minutes passed. Snape continued to stand next to Harry's bed, thinking intensely while tracing his lips with his index finger while Harry rose up slightly on his elbow and thought about the pros and cons of telling the Healer and Snape about the soul piece Voldemort liberated during the possession. The Healer finally came back in and proceeded to run his scan over Harry's scar again and then the scan which showed the runes. He stood for a moment reading them looking pale and unbelieving. He did a third scan and Harry's body glowed gold for a moment before flashing more runes. The Healer took a deep breath and finally broke the silence.

"I went a looked at a few books because, honestly I have never seen Residual Dark magic that concentrated or potent before. What I found was… disquieting. The second scan I did a moment ago told me, vaguely, what a darkness like that could indicate. He looked at Harry for a moment and Harry knew the man had an idea of what was going on. Shit.

"The Third scan told me the health of your soul, which is excellent by the way, and your magical core. It showed me something interesting. You have an immense amount of magic, quite a bit of which has only recently become available to you. Recently, as in within the last few hours." The Healer stopped and pierced Harrison with a look. "I think you should tell me about you possession know."

Harry thought for a moment and tried to hide his panic. The Healer almost assuredly knew about the soul piece, he wasn't going to be able hide this until he could speak with the Headmaster. "All right." He said hesitantly, "But before I do I think you should both take an oath to keep this secret. I…" Harry faltered a bit "I don't know any of the possible implications of what I am about to tell you but I know it's big and I would rather not take the chance of this becoming public knowledge."

Healer Morris did not seem surprised nor did he hesitate. "I, Cameron Sean Morris, do vow not to divulge anything of what I am about to hear to any person or entity without the express permission of Harrison James Potter. So mote it be." Snape studied Harry for a moment before giving his own vow. "I, Severus Tobias Snape, do vow not to divulge anything of what I am about to hear to any person or entity without the express permission of Harrison James Potter. So mote it be."

Harry told them everything.

He did not try to hide his emotions at all. At this point, it was futile. Thinking about it was one thing but having to speak of it as much harder then Harry had thought it would be. He told them every detail he could remember, every word spoken. Neither man made a noise as they listened to his narrative but Harry could tell it had affected them both. Snape had walked over to the desk and faced away from Harry about halfway through. The Healer was just looking at Harry wild eyed while shaking his head back and forth softly. The man had been shocked by the fact that he had been possessed by Voldemort as he hadn't known before, but his mouth was almost on the floor by the time he told him of the soul piece. By the time he was finished Snape had sat at the desk and was pinching the bridge of his nose and the Healer had pulled a book out of seemingly nowhere and was fully immersed in it.

"This makes so much sense." The Healer finally said. Harry and Snape both looked at the man questioningly. "I mean why he survived that night he tried to kill you, why he no longer looks human, and why he went insane. It is part of my job to know mind and soul magics. What he has done to himself is the darkest of dark. There is a name for an object which houses a piece of ones soul. It's called a Horcrux."

Snape closed his eyes tightly at the term and said, "I have only found one reference to that term in and extremely dark book and even that book refused to say too much on the subject. I take it you will explain?" The Healer nodded and continued.

"You have to spit your soul to make one and the only way to do that is to commit murder. A Horcrux is tied to its maker and while the Horcrux survives, so will the rest of the soul." Harry's eyes widened at that. "There is also a small ritual which must be preformed and an incantation to remove the soul and place it in a different vessel. I was unaware a sentient being could be used without the soul piece taking it over, especially after so long a time. Your magic seems to have protected you from its influence and contained it. Frankly, I am astounded you had enough magic to use a wand after constantly expending so much on unconsciously on protecting your own soul. You an immense amount of magic at your disposal now, young man, it will take a bit of time to get used to it." All three men sat in silence for a few minutes before the Healers voice was heard again.

"The problem is He-who-must-not-be-named did not mean to make you a Horcrux, as evidenced by his attempts on your life and his surprise when he found the piece depicted in your mind-scape. I think it safe to theorize that he made at least one before that night, and that is the reason he survived. His soul was all ready so mutilated, when the killing curse rebounded on him it broke off another piece which then latched on to the only other living thing in close proximity. You, Harrison." Harry could not even think strait at this point.

"So left me get this straight," the boy said. "Voldemort can't die if he has and of these Horcrux things out there right?" The Healer nodded once. "And he has at least one, in theory?' The Healer nodded his head again. "So he can't die, that is what you are trying to tell me." The healer let out a breath but it was Snape who answered him. "Yes, Potter." The man sounded tired. "How do you get rid of them?" Snape looked up, interested in the answer as well.

The Healer hesitated a moment before answering quietly. "There are only three ways. The maker can go to the horcrux physically, retrieve the soul piece, and reabsorb it. The maker can do a very complicated and dangerous ritual to retrieve it without having to go get the actual vessel. Both of these require the maker to want to reabsorb the soul piece. The only way anyone other than the maker can be rid of one it to destroy the vessel. The soul can not live with out it and so passes on." There was silence for a moment.

"Destroy the vessel." Harry asked breathlessly. He couldn't believe it meant what he was thinking. He had to have confirmation. "Are you saying that if he had not taken that piece out of me, there would have been no way to rid me of it? I would have had to, what? Sacrifice myself for him to die?" The Healer looked at him solemnly for a moment and said. "For him to die, you would have had to die as well, yes. " Snape propped his elbows on the desk and dropped his head into his hands.

Harry sat for a moment and then laughed quite hysterically. He rubbed his scar absently and said with no little bitterness, "I guess I'll have to send him a thank you note. When you think about it, he actually saved me from death. How ironic." Snape shot him a glare.

"I believe," said the Healer slowly "there is no use thinking of what could have happened. The fact is, you are no longer a horcrux, and you are alive and well so there is no need to be despondent. The dark magic still needs to be cleansed from your system, and I know the ritual I need. It will take only an hour from start to finish so I'm going to go prepare Room 2 for the ritual and I'll be back shortly." The Healer placed his hand on Harry's shoulder and bent down to look him in the eye. "You, young Harrison, are a lucky boy. I know it is hard to understand but it really could have been much worse. Get dressed, I'll be back in a moment" With that Healer Morris left the room.

Harry sat for a moment and then got up and dressed. He sat down in the chair beside the desk and tried to sort through his crazed thoughts. He should be thankful he was no longer marked for death, even if he hadn't realized how finalized it really had been. He wanted to be relieved he no longer carried a horrid piece of a madman's soul within himself. He did not have to become a martyr. Harry did not feel relieved though. He was very glad he had told the Healer and Snape, even if the man in black had not said more than a few words since he started his tale. He had gotten answers and he now knew why Voldemort had survived and how he had achieved his version of immortality. Harry felt knowledgeable but his also felt fear and anxiousness. There was really only one question he wanted answered right now but he was terrified of the answer. He turned to the man he knew who be honest, brutally so if necessary.

"Do you think he knew?" Snape looked up at him blankly. He seemed to be trying to regain his composure having lost it during the last conversation.

"Do you think Professor Dumbledore knew?" Snape's eyes unfocused for a minute seeming in deep thought.

"I honestly do not know, Potter. I am not sure what it means for you or me if he did, and to be honest I am hesitant to confront him for fear of finding he did." Harry nodded; this was exactly how he felt.

Both men continued to sit in silence, hoping against hope that Albus Dumbledore had not known about the Horcrux. Hoping he had not sat by and been content in sacrificing an innocent for the greater good of the wizarding world.


	5. Back to the Ground floor

A big thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story. It seriously makes my day every time I read one!

The Dumbledore confrontation has been pushed back to next chapter. I could have put it in here but I all ready had 28 pages and I really thought that was enough. On the plus side all the chapters from know on should be about this length. I think I've finally found my rhythm on this thing!

Anyway enjoy the chapter, the next one should be coming very quickly. I'm going to go back through the other 4 chapters and fix the mistakes I made in those. Thanks for everyone who pointed anything out! I seriously appreciate it!

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**Back to the Ground floor**

Harry felt better than he had in long while. He felt… clean. The Ritual of Cleansing he had to endure had taken an hour to complete and while it was highly embarrassing, he had had to strip completely and lie bare in a pentagram on the floor of an empty Exam Room 2, he felt loads better. There were no longer any lingering traces of Tom Riddle anywhere on his person. He supposed it could have been worse; he had been unconscious for almost the entire procedure so he hadn't been awake to feel embarrassed about his nudity. The Healer had explained that he would be sprinkling herbs and such on his body, so complete undress was necessary. Snape had snickered at Harry's uncomfortable expression and flushed face, but Harry had ignored the acerbic man.

The Ritual was pretty straightforward. The Healer had explained that Harry had only to ingest a Detoxifying Potion and lay in the pentagram drawn on the floor. The Healer had then said that he would be sprinkling select herbs over him; after which he would begin a long Latin incantation that would slowly draw the dark magic out of Harry's system. Complete stillness and silence was necessary and as it was supposed to be uncomfortable and quite disconcerting to watch (the dark magic actually seeped out of the person's pores) the Healer elected to put Harry to sleep for the duration of the procedure.

With that done Harry had thanked the Healer, assured him if he had any problems or flashbacks he would contact a counselor, collected his medical folder and followed Snape out the ward doors and into the empty corridor. Harry was surprised at how little time all this had taken. It was now 8 o'clock in the morning and he still hadn't had but an hour of sleep, and a potion induced one at that. Snape had also taken advantage of that hour and slept as well. It did not help his disposition; in fact, Harry thought it rather made it worse.

At the present, they were standing in the corridor in front of the staircase leading downstairs. Snape was trying to bully Harry to the ground floor to get his physical done as Healer Morris had ordered, but Harry was adamant that he would not be leaving the floor until he had checked on Hermione.

"You have gone completely mad if you think, for one second, that I'm leaving this floor before checking on Hermione!"

Snape narrowed his eyes. "We do not have the time, nor do I have the patients, to unnecessarily visit Miss Granger."

"It is NOT unnecessary!" Harry said, his voice rising. "It is totally my fault she was hurt and I know there is no chance that you will allow me to visit her after we are done downstairs. Moreover, the headmaster could show up at anytime to take me back to Hogwarts and I cannot leave with out seeing her.

"Stupid Child! That is exactly the reason we cannot take the time to go see her! The Headmaster could show up before you get downstairs for your exam and I will be damned if I am going to let that happen. That Umbridge woman is not going to get away with torturing students and she will if you get carted off before anyone can properly record and document your scars and account!"

Harry saw the man's point but refused to give in. "We could have all ready been to check on her if you weren't so bloody stubborn! We could have all ready been done and on our way downstairs! I'm not leaving this floor, Professor, with out seeing my friend."

"10 points from Gryffindor for language." Was the man's only response. He seemed to be thinking and then huffed and said, "Fine! We will go see the girl." Harry breathed a sigh of relief but the feeling did not last long as Snape immediately stepped up and lowered his face until it was only centimeters from the boys.

"Rest assured, Mr. Potter, that if you hesitate to follow any order I give again, I will not even give pause before dragging you by your ear through this hospital without a care for who sees. Do we understand one another?"

Harry gulped and said as levelly as he could "Yes sir."

The man glared at him briefly and then turned sharply around and led the dark haired boy down corridors and passed closed doors until he reached the appropriate ward. Snape gestured for Harry to enter saying "I will wait out here for your return."

Harry rolled his eyes at the man and received a cuff to the back of his head in return. He glared at the potion master briefly before quietly opening the door to the ward. Harry again questioned his decision-making skills as he walked toward the first occupied bed where Hermione and her parents were currently talking quietly. He wasn't quite sure how Hermione's parents were going to react at his presence considering he had been the leader of their misguided breach of the Ministry. He was glad to see Hermione was awake, though, and he felt he deserved any rancor thrown his way by her parents so he continued walking.

Both Hermione's parents were sitting facing their daughter, away from the door, so they hadn't seen Harry's entrance into the ward. Hermione, however, could see the ward doors as her bed had been raised to a 45-degree angle so she could converse with her parents comfortably. Her hair was knotted on top of her head, her face was very pale, and she looked very tired. When she caught sight of Harry she looked momentarily surprised, and then a small smile appeared on her face. Harry smiled back tentatively and watched as both elder Grangers looked over their shoulders to see at whom their daughter was smiling.

"Is there something we can do for you young man?" Mr. Granger said, as he stood.

Mr. Granger was much taller than Harry was, with short curly brown hair and brown eyes covered by rectangular wire-rimmed spectacles. Harry had seen the man before, but he had never been properly introduced, so he stuck out his hand to Mr. Granger.

"Hello Mr. Granger." He said as he took the man's hand. Mrs. Granger had stood as well by this point so Harry took her hand and gently kissed the back of it and said, "Mrs. Granger." She tiredly smiled at him as he released her hand. Harry then walked over to the other side of Hermione's bed, sat down on the edge, lent over and gently embraced his friend. It was awkward for him to initiate such contact, usually Hermione was barreling into him when he received hugs from her, but he did it anyway knowing not only that it would comfort her but it would reassure him as well.

"How are you Hermione?" He said as he pulled back from the embrace.

"I'm just fine Harry." She said while looking him over, obviously for signs of harm. "The Healers here are wonderful. My mum told me Professor Snape escorted them here and that he had to see to another student as well. I guess it was you then?" He nodded his head. She looked at him for a moment and then huffed which made her parents smile a bit. "Well are you going to tell me why you are here, Harry?"

Harry darted a look at Hermione's parents and then back at Hermione. She opened her mouth but her father answered his unasked question first.

"Hermione has all ready told us the circumstances of how she was hurt and honestly Harry, we don't blame you at all. We know our Daughter and there was no way you would have been able to dissuade her from going with you. She's a stubborn one." He patted her arm fondly. "I can't say I understand everything that she explained but I get the gist and I understand why you and your friends went to this Ministry place. So go on and tell her what she wants to know, Lord knows she will question you incessantly until you do. She's just like her mother." He said the last bit as an after thought but his wife still heard and she smacked him on the arm. Hermione giggled and Harry smiled, but the smile soon vanished from the boys face because he knew the man was right and he was going to have to tell Hermione what had happened after she lost consciousness and he did not want to upset her. He had little time; Snape was not a patient man. He jumped right into it as soon as Hermione had focused her attention back onto him.

"Well, the reason I am here is because Riddle" He emphasized the name and was rewarded with a small gasp of recognition from Hermione. "Decided to show up at the ministry and possessed me for a short while." Hermione looked pale as did her parents but Harry continued. "I needed to undergo a cleansing ritual which I just finished and I am about to go downstairs to get a full work up and get this" here he held up his scarred hand "documented so Umbridge can be held accountable for her actions this year."

Hermione looked at him for a moment and Harry knew she was about to start rapidly firing off questions so he held up his hand and said "I know you have questions but I don't really have time to answer any because Snape is waiting for me. I'm fine now, the ministry saw first hand tonight that Dumbledore and I have told the truth this year, and Umbridge is going down. Is their anything you really need to know right now before I go?"

Hermione bit her lip, then looked up at Harry, and asked the one question he was unprepared to answer. "I suppose I can get answers from one of the Professors or Order members when I see them next. I asked Professor Snape earlier if everyone made it out okay, but he was really vague and I was too tired to stay awake and ask for anything specific. Just ease my mind a bit, Harry. What happened to everyone?"

Harry's stomach churned violently as he thought of a way to answer the question without telling her about Sirius. He really did not want to be the one to tell her, especially while she was hurt. Plus, saying it aloud would make it real and so far he had been so fixated on other things he had not yet had to deal with it. Now was not a good time to break down. He decided to tell her about their friends and then take it as it went after that.

"Luna was hit with a stunner but Madam Pomfrey has all ready fixed that, I'm sure. Ginny was hit with one as well and she broke her ankle. Ron was attacked by those brains floating in the tank in that one room, you remember them?" She nodded her head eyes a bit watery. "As far as I know he is going to be fine, he's just going to need some kind of follow ups here." She let out a relieved sigh and nodded her head for him to continue.

"Neville was the only one with me by the end and he only suffered a broken nose. Everyone else is at Hogwarts still. Your injury was by far the worst. For a moment there Hermione, I really thought you were gone."

He embraced her again after he said this, a large lump in his throat. After a minute or so they both drew away, Hermione discreetly wiping tears from her face.

"Well I am very glad everyone is going to be okay, but I thought I saw Tonks over behind one of the partitions the last time the nurses came in. The order showed up at some point then?" Harry nodded even though he was starting to feel sick and the lump in his throat was back. "Is she the only order member who was hurt?"

Harry sat for a moment trying to calm his emotions. He knew he couldn't lie to his friend and she would know if he did, but he couldn't bear to utter his Godfathers name. It was just too final. He sat for a moment debating what he should do. He looked over to Hermione's parents. Her father seemed to understand Harry's hesitation. Maybe Snape had told him of a fatality or maybe, being an adult, he understood the possibility was great. Mr. Granger nodded his head slightly as if giving him permission to go on. Harry thought that perhaps Mr. Granger thought his hesitation was for Hermione only. That her weakened condition was the only thing giving him pause. If only it were that.

"There was a Grim with them." He said finally. He did not look at Hermione but knew she would understand the reference. He cleared his throat. A minute passed and he said nothing. He felt Hermione grip his hand.

"Harry?" She asked quietly with a small waver in her voice. "Was he captured? Please tell me he wasn't captured."

Harry swallowed thickly and uttered five words that almost broke him right there. "He fell through the veil." His eyes began to water so he pinched his nose tightly. _I will not break down here. _He chanted desperately in his mind. After a few moments he heard Hermione make a sound. He steeled himself and looked up into her tear-filled brown eyes.

Hermione had no qualms about breaking down so Harry used that as a distraction. He wrapped Hermione in his arms again and held her while she cried. He concentrated only on comforting his friend. He could be strong for a while longer.

After what seemed like hours to them both, Hermione's cries turned into sobs and then disappeared altogether. Harry held her for a minute longer before pulling her away from him. Hermione sniffled a bit and looked up at Harry with concern shining in her eyes.

"I'm still in denial, purposeful as it may be. Don't worry Hermione, I'll grieve when I am able, but right now there is too much going on and I have things to accomplish in a very short amount of time. Dumbledore is unaware that I am here, probably you as well." Hermione looked utterly scandalized at this revelation. Obviously, Snape had thought it prudent to leave a few things out when bringing the Grangers here. "There is a lot going on at the moment and I will explain all, I promise. Do you trust me?"

"Did you honestly just ask me that Harry James Potter?" She said looking quite put out. Harry imagined she would have planted her hands on her hips if she could have. Harry Chuckled.

"It's Harrison actually." He said as haughtily as he could. "If you're going to pull out all three names, you may as well do it properly." Harry said trying to lighten things up. Hermione looked surprised and opened her mouth to ask more questions but Harry beat her to it.

"I will explain everything in detail as soon as you get back to school, Hermione, you are going to have to be patient. Okay?"

She nodded but said, "I'll be patient, Harry, but my parents were talking of taking me straight home once I am released, so you're going to have to ring me or just wait until next term to tell me all the details."

Harry smiled at his friend. "That's really great Hermione. I guess I'll just tell you when we meet up this summer as we usually do. Honestly, your parents are being really understanding and laid back about all this, I'm actually really surprised.

Hermione just shook her head. "They are acting really understanding right now, but I know my parents. They are going to be completely unbearable. Their coddling is going to put Molly Weasley to shame! I just know it!" She cried. "Plus I hadn't told them exactly how dangerous everything was becoming so now they are going to want full disclosure! I'll be lucky if they let me leave the house!" Harry just shook his head at his friend.

"Alright then Drama Queen, we'll just have to wait and see. If we have to wait until September do you think you can last?" He said teasingly. She merely rolled her eyes and huffed.

Harry noticed then that Snape had slipped into the ward at some point and had drawn the elder Grangers away from their daughter's bedside and was quietly talking to them a few feet away. Harry directed his friend's attention to were they were standing.

"He's probably talking to them about what happened at the Ministry, at least the parts he knows, so that should satisfy most of your curiosity. I'm going to go know okay? I have to be downstairs soon and I just wanted to make sure you were recovering." He bent down and embraced his friend one last time in farewell.

"Be safe, Harry." She whispered to him. "I'm here to talk whenever you need me." Harry said nothing, just held her a little more tightly for a moment and then pulled away and stood.

"I should probably go rescue your parents from Snape. Who knows what prolonged exposure to the man can do to those who don't know the risks." He told her in a carrying voice. She giggled. Snape who had heard the comment, just as Harry intended, scowled at the teen but said nothing. Harry just grinned back at him cheekily. Harry didn't exactly know why Snape was being slightly more agreeable than normal, but he was going to take advantage of it.

Harry and Snape said their goodbyes to the Grangers, Harry promising to contact Hermione regularly during break, and left the ward. They walked down the stairs in total silence until they reached the ground floor. Harry stopped at the bottom of the stairs. He knew the ground floor held the more mundane variety of Healers but he had no idea who he was supposed to see.

"I have no idea where we are supposed to go from here." He said mostly to himself.

"Healer Morris arranged for you to be seen by a Healer Brigand. I believe she is located a few corridors down with the other Pediatric Healers." Said Snape. Harry looked at him indignantly. A Pediatrician? He was fifteen not five! Snape just huffed and glared.

"Oh, do stop looking so offended." He Snapped. "You are a minor, and Pediatric Healers will be more apt at documenting abuse so that is who you will see." The man laid his hand on the back of Harry's neck and started to firmly guide him down the Hall to where, Harry assumed, the Healer he was meant to see had offices.

"It wasn't abuse…" Harry muttered but before he could continue, Snape's grip on his neck tightened momentarily and the taller man turned the boy to face him. Suddenly Snape was at Harry's eye level, his hand having migrated to hold Harry's chin.

"Yes. It was abuse." He stated vehemently. "Do not for one moment pretend that it was not. That vile woman used a Dark object for the express purpose of hurting you and that constitutes abuse." Harry looked at the man bewildered for a moment. Snape let go of Harry's chin, took his arm, and pulled him down the hall to the loo. When they stepped inside Snape warded the door and put up a silencer.

"I want you to listen and listen well, Mr. Potter, for I will not repeat myself. You are still a child. A willful, disobedient, heavily burdened one, but a child none-the-less. It is up to the adults around you to set boundaries and instill proper consequences when those boundaries are breached. An appropriate consequence is not forcing a child to cut open his own hand and write lines in his own blood." The man then pierced him with a sharp knowing look. "Nor is throwing a child in a cupboard and withholding food. These are examples of abuse, different forms, yes, but abuse it is. None of which is ever acceptable. Do I make myself clear?"

Harry could only nod at the man. "You and I will be having a frank discussion about your relatives and the reasons you deigned Madam Umbridge's despicable detentions acceptable after we get back to Hogwarts. Trust me when I say that."

Harry suddenly felt incredibly angry and tried to pull out of the man's grip, but the Professor would not be so easily escaped. Harry was not only angry but was embarrassed as well. This man had verbally flayed him at every available opportunity the last 5 years and he wanted to speak to Harry about others abuse of him. The fact that he was the only adult since he entered Hogwarts who had ever even hinted at asking Harry of his home life angered him for more than one reason. Of all the people who could have cared, it had to be this man. A man who hated him. Everyone else had been content with his silence and misdirection but he knew this man wouldn't be, and while the small part of him rejoiced with renewed hope at a chance he may be removed from the Dursley's, the louder more realistic part of himself knew it would never happen. The blood wards would prove his downfall.

"Why should we talk about it, sir? You certainly couldn't care less. You SAW my memories during Occlumency and did nothing but sneer and taunt me! You hate me. You know it and I know it; don't try to pretend otherwise. Lets just go see this Healer whoever and document my scar from the toad and get back to Hogwarts." Harry said rather quickly through clenched teeth, and then went to turn away but Snape held fast.

They stood there a moment until Snape took Harry firmly by the shoulders and turned him back to face him.

"You are right." Harry looked up at the taller man in surprise. "I despise you. You get away with far too much because of who you are and I assumed, wrongly, that you were as pampered at home as I knew your father had been. There are reasons for my assumption and we will discuss those at a later time as a bathroom in the middle of a busy hospital is not appropriate. Suffice it to say I was determined to show you not everyone would kowtow to you and your every whim when you arrived at Hogwarts. Over time it evolved into something wholly different and for that I apologize."

Harry could only look dumbly at the man. Severus Snape had just apologized to him. Harry Potter! Pigs must be flying and Hell was surely freezing over. Snape sneered at him.

"Do not think this will change most of my behavior toward you. You are still an arrogant, cheeky, disobedient child and I will treat you as such. You broke into my pensive, have stolen from my store cupboards, and blatantly disregard curfew on a regular basis. Those are just some of your more severe indiscretions. All of those instances show me you are in desperate need of discipline, which the Headmaster seems adverse to administer. I will continue to crack down on you as long as this type of behavior continues and others in authority refuse to do anything about it."

"That being said, I informed the Headmaster of my opinion on your home life after every single Occlumency lesson. I told him of the memories I witnessed and my suspicion of the chance of other worse treatments having been meted out to you over the years, even though I had no memories to back up those suspicions. I was rebuffed every time. The Headmaster is an idealistic man. He acknowledged what I had seen as neglect and tried to assure me that your relatives would not have taken it any further than that. I was not as confident."

Harry couldn't think straight. Snape had gone to the Headmaster over what he had seen in his memories? That was simply startling. He, however, was not at all surprised at Dumbledore's response; after all, he had Ms. Figg spying on him during his entire childhood. He had known at least a portion of what Harry had gone through and had obviously deemed it a worthy sacrifice. He wondered if the man would have deemed it a worthy sacrifice if he himself would have had to endure it. Snape seemed to realize Harry's thoughts had wandered for he let go of the boy's shoulders, grasped his chin, and pulled the emerald eyes to look into his own onyx ones.

"I am a bitter and cruel man Mr. Potter, and while I may not be content with The Dark Lord I certainly am a Dark Wizard. There are many unpleasant attributes which I willingly possess and cultivate. I have an acid tongue and I make Hufflepuff first years cry on a daily basis, I am extremely biased toward my house, and there are very few who pass through Hogwarts who are not on the receiving end of my vitriol at one point or another." Snape was looking the boy straight in the eye as if willing him to see the truth in his next statement.

"One thing, however, which I will never ever be, is a participant or a condoner of the abuse of a child. Complacency is just as bad in my opinion. I may be cruel with my words but I have never physically harmed a child and I never will. Even the Dark Lord has never required me to do such a thing. I will not do it. He knows this. Can you comprehend that?

"Yes sir." Harry understood a little better. At least Snape wasn't deluding himself. Evidently, he knew he was a git and liked it. He drew the line at physical abuse though, and honestly, Harry respected the man more than ever. Maybe, just maybe, something good would come out of his immense screw up. Getting away from the Dursley's.

"Well then, we need to hurry to the Healer's office. I am sure she is wondering what is taking us so long."

The man waved his wand to cancel all of the wards and charms he had used on the bathroom, lightly grabbed the back of Harry's neck again and steered him through the door and out into the corridor. Harry assumed it was the dark man's way of keeping some sort of control so he did not shake him off.

"I should warn you now. When the healers check you over they will ask to run a deep scan since it has been so long since you have been seen here so they have your entire medical record. It will tell the Healers of every significant injury you have ever had. Scars, broken bones, deep bruising."

Harry was staring to feel a little sick. He wanted to get away from the Dursley's but he had thought Snape would help him convince Dumbledore to let him stay elsewhere. When the Healer did those scans they would see exactly what his childhood had been like, and while the Dursley's had not touched him since he had gotten his first Hogwarts letter, that certainly was not true for the pervious 10 years.

"I only saw certain parts of your childhood, Mr. Potter, but I believe there was more than what I saw. Am I right?"

"Yes sir." Harry replied. There was really no use denying it.

"Will the Healers find evidence of physical abuse?" Harry nodded his head and looked away from the taller man.

"They haven't touched me in a long time. They were too afraid to, after I went to Hogwarts." Said the boy.

Snape sharply nodded his head and ignored Harry's seeming embarrassment. "Rightly so. The wizarding world values its children beyond all else. Wizards abusing their children very rarely happen; it is the Half-bloods and muggle-borns that are more likely to experience violence at home because of fear or jealousy. It is one reason why pure-bloods despise muggles, but this is a discussion for another time."

Snape looked around for a moment and set his eyes on a door on the right side of the hall a few meters away. He briskly steered Harry towards it and stopped in front of it. Beside the door was a sign reading Pediatric Healers Thurmond, Brigand, and Weston.

Professor Snape turned to the boy and said, "You will tell the truth at all times while we are in here. All abuse will be documented, after that, we will figure out what the next step will be. This is probably the only chance we will get to do this. Albus is not here to interfere and though he means well, he loses sight of the individual when looking at the bigger picture. If you confirm abuse by your relatives to these Healers, he will have no choice but to see and listen. You will not go back to your relatives. This is the only time you will ever hear me encourage your Gryffindor tendencies but I am now. Your courage will be needed in this instance. I expect you to use it."

Harry nodded his head. "Yes sir." He was feeling nervous and slightly sick, but he kept himself calm by thinking of never going back to the Dursley's and getting Umbridge sacked from Hogwarts and the Ministry. Professor Snape opened the door and they both walked inside.

Harry obediently followed Snape into the room and had to work to keep his mouth closed. It was much larger on the inside than it had seemed from the corridor that was for sure.

The room had a square shape, although all the corners were rounded. The ceiling was also domed and flowed seamlessly into the walls. The floor was a light hard wood with large green rugs decorating them. Harry assumed the green rugs were supposed to give the illusion of grass because the walls and were painted in a mural of a meadow. What really astounded him was that it was like a portrait, everything moved. The tall grass was swaying gently as if a breeze was blowing through it. Bees flitted from flower to flower. Clouds rolled by and the sun moved its position just as it did naturally. Harry was sure it was always a sunny day in this room.

The right side of the room had more space than the left and there was a huge play castle to climb in which ran the entire length of the wall, and a large plush dragon laying in front of it that was big enough for Harry to have sat on comfortably. There were shelves of toys and numerous child size tables surrounded by chairs. Soft Couches were placed throughout the room leaving much of the floor space open for the children to play in.

The left side of the room was smaller and more sedate. The wall directly across from the entrance doors held the reception desk and a door that probably led to the exam rooms. The couches were rounded to fit along the length of the wall on that side and directly in the middle was a large circular bookcase filled with an immense amount of children's books. Colorful cushions surrounded the bookcase and most of the parents were sitting on the couches, as it was quiet and a seemingly perfect place to keep an eye on their children who were reading or playing on the other side of the room.

Snape obviously knew Harry was enchanted by the room as he just stood there looking down at the boy with a raised brow and superior smirk on his face. Harry flushed a bit, went over to the left side, and sat a little ways away from the numerous ladies sitting chatting together. Snape walked over to the reception desk, presumably to let them know he was here and to give them the file Healer Morris had given him earlier.

Harry sat for a moment just watching the children running back and forth to their mothers who kept shooing them away again. Harry tilted his head back to rest on the couch back and crossed his arm over his chest. He closed his eyes and tried to rest. A moment later he felt the couch dip on his left side and, without lifting his head, turned it to look at Snape. The man silently handed him a copy of The Morning Prophet. The headline was bold and took up a good fourth of the page.

**FUDGE CONFIRMS YOU-KNOW-WHOS RETURN**

Death Eaters Arrested After Ministry Break In!

Harry did not even read the article. He knew what had happened. Now everyone else would know he had been telling the truth all year, but the victory was hollow. The cost had been too high.

He handed the paper back to Snape with a roll of his eyes and then closed them once again. He hadn't been asleep for more than a few minutes before he was woken by someone poking his right shoulder. He lifted his head up and turned it to find a girl of about four or five sitting on her knees next to him. She leaned in very close with wide eyes and whispered.

"Harry Potter?" Harry nodded his head with a little smile on his face. The child was adorable. Blue eyes and light brown hair braided into pigtails. She had on a yellow summer dress and was clutching a white lamb to her chest. She squeaked after he nodded, shimmied off the couch and took off to the other side of the room.

"Lorelei!" A brown haired woman sitting among the multitude of other ladies called after the girl. She looked at Harry. "I hope she wasn't bothering you." She stated. Harry shook his head.

"Not at all." And with that he lay his head back down and tried to go back to sleep.

Only a minute later he was awakened again by a sharp jab in the ribs by Snape. He lifted his head and glared at the man. The man just looked back at him as if trying to hide laughter. Snape inclined his head and Harry looked in front of him where the man was bidding him to look. Standing in front of him were about 10-15 children between the ages of 4-10. Harry looked and saw the younger ones were still at play on the other side of the room. All the mothers had stopped their chattering and were looking confusedly at the gaggle of children congregated around him.

The children just stood for a moment staring until the little girl, apparently named Lorelei, said smugly "I told you it was him."

Evidently, that was all the encouragement needed for one of the older boys, for he suddenly asked, "Are you really Harry Potter?"

All movement from the mothers stopped abruptly and Harry cut his eyes in their direction. They had definitely heard the child's question and seemed to be waiting just as eagerly for his answer.

"Yes, I am." All the children beamed and a few clapped and jumped around excitedly. The mothers gasped and Snape just snorted.

Lorelei, it seemed was not as shy as she seemed and climbed right into his lap completely ignoring her mothers admonishments. This also seemed to spur the other children to action, as they all seemed to scramble to get closer. The three oldest pulled up cushions and sat down on the floor in front of him but he soon found children surrounding him, squeezing into the space between he and Snape. A sweet toe-headed child even perched herself right in the man's lap and Harry could not help but laugh at the man's surprised face.

So now, here he was surrounded by children on all sides and they all seemed to be waiting for something. Their mothers all seemed content to sit and watch and see what happened. Harry looked at the children for a moment.

"Uh, well, what do you guys want?"

"Do you really have a scar shaped like lightening?" One boy asked. His mother started to say something but Harry quickly set her at ease.

"It's okay, really." He assured her. He looked back at the boy and just lifted up his fringe, much as he had done with Ron on his first train ride. There was an almost unanimous whispering of 'wow' and one by one they all reached out to touch it. There was more admonishing by mothers and some had even started to get up.

"Really," he said "it's fine. Nothing wrong with a little curiosity." He heard professor Snape snort and looked over to see the blond child was still in his lap. The man had his hands sitting beside him not touching the child in the least. Harry thought this was Hilarious. What he wouldn't give for a camera! It was great fun to see the normally composed man so flustered.

"She's going to fall if you don't hold on to her, you know." The boy told the dark man. He was just glared at in return, while Snape stubbornly kept his hands where they were.

The kids had had enough of his scar and were starting to ask questions again.

"Did you really get rid of that evil guy?"

"My daddy said he saw you fight a dragon once, did you really?"

"My mommy says you're mad, but you don't look mad. Are you?"

The last was said by a boy sitting in between Harry and Snape and was about six. Harry looked over at the mothers and knew immediately whose little boy this was. She was currently sitting with her head in her hands, and what little of her face Harry could see was a red color.

"Well, I think that everyone is a little mad, don't you? Just think of how boring it would be if everyone did exactly what was expected all of the time."

All the children nodded their heads solemnly and Harry was worried for a moment that anything he might say would be taken truly to heart by these sprogs. Before he could think much more on it, another child spoke up.

"So did you fight the Dragon?" Harry nodded. A chorus of 'tell us' and 'please' was heard and Harry resolved himself to entertaining the heathens surrounding him instead of getting any rest. He did not realize it but as he told the story of the first task during his fourth year and followed it up with his first Quidditch match, he was becoming more animated and smiling more until his worries left him and he completely forgot exactly why he was there in the first place and just enjoyed the laughter of the children around him.

* * *

Harry Potter was not really sure how he had ended up sitting on a cushion on the floor surrounded by children telling stories of Quidditch, giant chess boards, and liberating baby dragons, but that was exactly what he was doing. It had been fifteen minutes since little Lorelei had told the other children who was sitting in their midst, and Harry had honestly been having a great time. He decided he was going to wait a long while to become a father, however. These kids were so demanding! Harry was currently telling the tale of the Evil Potions Master. He was really telling the kids a much-exaggerated tale of his very first potions lesson, but they did not need to know that.

"…then the evil potion master looked at the children menacingly and said 'Why are none of you writing this down?' Then he stood up and stalked away his robes billowing behind him."

Before Harry could continue a little girl with glasses sitting in front raised her hand. Harry looked at her and said "Yes." While trying to hold in his laughter.

"What does billow mean?"

Harry thought for a moment and replied, "Well, when you walk and the air catches in a piece of clothing, like a dress or a cape or a cloak, it makes the fabric flare out."

"Can you do it?" One boy asked.

"I can not. I think it is something only an evil potion master can do." Harry looked back toward Snape and the man looked extremely unhappy. Harry actually saw a vein in his neck throb. Thankfully, Snape was saved a burst blood vessel when a young woman came out of the door behind the reception desk.

"Potter, Harrison." She called looking nervously at Harry.

"Well, that's my cue little ones. I'm off." There was a collective groan from the group as Harry hoisted himself up. It took a few minutes to say goodbye to all the kids and some of the mothers even came up and shook his hand. Harry just knew as soon as they were out of hearing distance Snape was going to comment. He was not disappointed. As soon as the nurse led them through the door and toward the exam rooms Snape opened his mouth.

"Even children fawn over you, Potter. What's next? Kissing babies in Diagon Alley?" Harry glared at the smirking potions master and ignored his comment. There was no real malice behind the comment and Harry just did not have the energy right now to verbally spar with the man.

The nurse led them back through the corridor to an exam room and ushered them both in. She silently indicated for Harry to hop up on the exam table; she then immediately sat down at the desk to peruse his medical file.

Snape stood for a moment and looked around before conjuring a surprisingly comfortable looking black leather recliner. He sat it directly next to the exam table, took off his outer robe, sat in the chair, reclined it, and draped the outer robe over himself. Harry could not help but laugh.

"Quiet."

"Seriously?" Harry said through diminishing chuckles. "You are that tired are you?"

"Yes" The man hissed opening his eyes to glare at the boy. "I will most likely have… a meeting to attend this evening. I, unlike you, need to keep my wits about me at all times. Sleep deprivation would not be very conducive to my continued well being." That sobered Harry right up.

"You are to show them your scar from the horrid woman, give a statement, and then submit to any scans or tests your Healer sees fit to administer. They will probably be numerous and lengthy so I am going to sleep. You are to wake me after all the tests are complete so I may be present when the results are discussed. Unless you need me to hold your hand." The man sneered.

"I think I'll pass." The boy said dryly.

"Humph!" Was the only response he received.

Harry just shook his head and then shrugged when he noticed the nurse looking between the two quizzically. She turned back to her perusal of his medical file after that. After a few more minutes, Harry started wondering exactly what she was looking at. Healer Morris had said he was only reporting his visit to his office. Evidently, it was the policy of the Hospital to keep those particular records confidential and an administrator had to approve the release of those records after reasons were submitted. His file was relatively thin, since he hadn't been seen here in about 14 years, so he was curious about what she was doing and why.

He cleared his throat and the woman looked at him. "Is the Healer going to be here soon?" He looked over at Snape as he said this to make sure the man had not woken.

"Oh, yes she is. I was just a little confused by your record is all. You haven't been seen here for quite a few years and you're missing the potion regiment we give for common magical illnesses. It's just really rare for magical children to miss them unless they are muggle-born."

"Well I was muggle raised, so I guess that would answer your question. Madam Pomphrey gave me all my vaccinations when I came to Hogwarts first year."

The mouthed 'Oh' and then tapped his chart with her wand. A clean piece of parchment sprouted right out of the seam. After that is was pretty basic. Well, as basic as Harry thought things went in the magical world. The nurse, whose name he still did not know, had run a basic preliminary spell on him that instantly recorded all of his basic information: age, height, weight, heart rate, blood pressure, and surprisingly his blood glucose level and body fat index.

"Wow, that is so much faster than the muggle way!" Harry said in an awed voice and then whispered, "I really love magic." The nurse smiled at him and shook her head a little as she looked back at his results.

"Well I'm going to fire call the Hogwarts Matron for your chart there and then take everything to Healer Brigand. She should be in here soon to see you." Harry nodded and the nurse left.

Harry was again left waiting. This seemed to be a familiar trend. The boy had no shoes on so he didn't hesitate to pull himself up to the top of the exam table so his back was resting against the wall and his legs were straight out in front of him. He leaned his head back to rest on the wall and hoped the Healer would be quick.

It was only a few minutes before the healer walked through the door. She was tall and willowy and had a faint dusting of freckles across her cheeks and nose. Her hair sat short and curly on the top of her head in a black hue that looked faintly purple when the light hit it. She was an older woman, well she was in her fifties at least, and she was quite pretty. She smiled at Harry with brilliantly white teeth and walked over to the chair in front of the desk. She sat, opened his file, and turned to him. Before she started speaking, she glimpsed Snape sitting in his conjured recliner. For a moment she looked completely taken aback.

"He wasn't able to sleep last night, what with everything that happened. He said to wake him up when we were going to discuss the results of whatever tests you are going to run on me." Harry looked at the woman unsurely. "I don't think he'll have any input anyway and I really don't fancy having to wake him up."

The woman looked away from the sleeping man and gave the boy a small smile. "Unless he has something specific to contribute he only needs to be here is so you have adult consent. As it is, he can rest." She turned back to the chart, pulled a small quill out of an inner pocket in her bright green robe, and set it upright but did not yet set it to dictate.

"Well, Harry, I am Valeria Brigand and I am, obviously, going to be seeing you today." She said as she noisily turned her chair to face him. He only nodded back.

"Healer Morris noted in your chart why you needed to be seen so I think we should get right to it. The first thing that is going to happen is you are going to give me a statement about exactly what occurred, answering any an all questions posed to you truthfully. Then I will examine the hand with the scar on it document what I see, as well as including the notes from Healer Morris' observations. Are you with me so far?"

"Yes Ma'am." Harry said. That was exactly what Healer Morris had told him would happen so it was no great surprise.

"Good." She said briskly, nodding her head once. "You won't be involved in anything after that really. The ministry will be informed and an official complaint will be filed. No Aurors or Magical Law Enforcement Officer should need to contact you for any reason other than to let you know a trial date for the accused. You also won't need to testify at trial as you are still a minor; a Healer certified statement is all that is needed from you."

Harry looked at her skeptically. He wasn't dense enough to think The Ministry was just going to sit by and let him accuse the Undersecretary of a crime and not try to contact him and persuade him to recant his statement. He'd bet Fudge's green bowler hat someone would be at school to see him the same day the complaint was filed.

"Honestly, madam, I can almost guarantee the Minister will send someone to Hogwarts as soon as he becomes aware of the complaint being filed. He may even come himself." He said as an afterthought. If the minister came to school, He would have great fun telling the pompous ass exactly where he could go. Harry was suddenly hoping he did come. He needed to blow off some steam.

"Hmmm. Perhaps you need to contact a Barrister just in case." She said thoughtfully. "Anyway, that is all that needs to be done in regards to your complaint against Madam Umbridge. That should take a solid hour so we should be done by 10 at the latest. We should have all your files from Hogwarts by then and we can proceed with a full diagnostic check up. "

"Would you mind telling me exactly what a full diagnostic check up is?"

The Healer smiled at him again and shook her head in a self-deprecating way. "A full diagnostic means we will check your blood for any anomalies or diseases and give you a complete physical. Since you haven't been seen in a magical hospital in many years we will also do a long-term scan, which will tell us of any serious injury, or illness you have ever had. Since you have been at Hogwarts since you turned 11 we will only need to document anything between your last visit here and your first visit to the school infirmary. These tests are really just standard so barring any serious findings, it shouldn't take more than and hour or so to run all the tests and go over the information with you and your escort. I would say you should be totally done and on your way by noon. So, any questions?"

She was looking at him passively with a polite expression on her face, probably assuming Harry didn't have any questions. She was wrong.

"Actually, I was wondering exactly what constitutes a serious finding." Harry didn't want the woman to be blindsided when she did his long-term scan and this seemed like an ideal opportunity to clue her in a bit.

It wasn't going to be tear inducing or anything but he had not been treated well by the Dursley's, especially in his earlier years when his accidental magic wasn't very reliable at protecting him. He had scars, a broken bone or two, illnesses, and some deep bruising during his childhood. He was neglected as well. Would that last even come up?

The Healers voice broke into Harry's musings. "A serious finding would be something like a disease or chronic illness, untreated or large quantities of injuries, signs of abuse or neglect such as brittle bones, deep bruising. Things like that." The Healer looked at him cautiously and asked, "Do you have any reason to believe I will find anything like that during my scan?"

"Uh…yeah." Harry said. "I didn't have the best of childhoods." He said in a low voice running his hand across the back of neck.

Harry wasn't looking at the Healer anymore. He wanted to get away from the Dursley's, but even though everything they had done to physically harm him had happened many years ago while he was a child, he still felt embarrassed and ashamed about admitting that anything had occurred. He looked up at the Healer and saw she was smiling sadly at him, but he was relieved to see no pity in her gaze. He didn't need pity, many other children had been subjected to much greater mistreatment.

"I'll make sure I have all the paperwork I need so that everything is documented. You do realize you are going to tell me the circumstances behind any illness and injury I find, right? Are you prepared to do that?" She asked him in a calm voice. It was obvious she was trying to put him at ease. He nodded at her.

"Yes ma'am"

"We'll make sure and wake up your escort when the time comes. Meanwhile, I'm going to step out of the room so you can get changed." She tapped the bottom drawer on her desk twice, opened it and pulled out a light blue hospital gown.

"You can leave on your pants on, but everything else needs to come off." She said as she stood and handed him the gown. "I'll be back in a few moments and then we can start the tests." She then quickly exited the room.

Harry looked at the blue robe and sighed. As he began to undress, his only thought was this is going to be a long day.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore was sitting in his office looking for all the world as if he had not been gone the last few months. He was supremely pleased to be back at Hogwarts. He sat behind his desk, fingers steepled in front of him. His morning had been busy but now he was finally able to sit and think for a moment.

He had met with Madam Bones and Cornelius Fudge about Voldemort and his obvious return, contacted all order members and informed them of the happenings of the children's adventure and Sirius' fall through the veil, and rescued Madam Umbridge from the centaur herd in the forbidden forest. His morning had been quite productive but one thing had not happened yet which he was anticipating with dread. His meeting with Harry Potter.

He had informed the boy to see him after Madam Pomfrey had released him, but this morning when he had escorted Madam Umbridge to the infirmary the child had been nowhere in sight. He was sure the boy was off brooding over the happenings of the previous evening and had no wish to see his Headmaster. Albus was not supremely surprised, not after his treatment of the lad this year. He really had thought it best to stay as far away from the boy as possible, but alas, he was extremely mistaken. He should have placed more trust in Harry; he had proven himself after all.

What was done couldn't be undone, though, and Sirius had paid the price for his arrogance. He was going to undo some of the harm he had done to Harry's trust in him by telling him of the prophecy and hoping Harry was as forgiving toward him as he had been to others.

He dearly wished Harry had time to grieve Sirius' passing in the remaining week before the summer holidays began. He knew sending Harry back to his relatives would do nothing to help his grieving or mental welfare but his continued existence was more important than anything else was. Harry needed the blood wards and the treatment he had to endure while at his Aunts would have to be bared. It was a necessary sacrifice.

Albus Dumbledore continued his inner monologue for a few more moments and then stood. He resolved to find the boy and tell him of his destiny. He could not afford to wait any longer. He cast a quick wandless Tempus spell and saw that it was now quarter passed noon. The child may be in the Great Hall, or in the Kitchens eating with his little friend Dobby.

Sweeping through the Halls speaking benignly to the students and staff member he passed, he sedately walked to the Great Hall and saw it mostly empty with no Harry Potter in sight. He continued his trek to the Kitchens and found they were also devoid of the boy he sought to find. When asked, the little creatures had told him 'Master Harry Potter sir' had not been to the kitchens in a few days.

The Headmaster did not intend to search every hiding place the boy could be currently occupying, so he concentrated on his connection to Hogwarts and waved his hand. In front of his appeared an exact replica of Hogwarts. It was an apparition with dots labeled with each person's name who was currently inside the castle grounds.

"Harry Potter." He intoned. All the dots disappeared. All of them. His heart stopped for a moment and then tried again. "Harry Potter." He stated more firmly than before. The result was the same. Harry Potter was no longer on Hogwarts grounds.

Student and teacher alike were met with an amusing sight that day. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Supreme Wugump, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Defeater of Grindlewald was seen by many frantically running toward the Hospital Wing, beard streaming behind him.

* * *

Harry Potter was a Gryffindor and was very proud of the fact too. Right now, however, he was having serious doubts about his placement in the house of courage. He had fought a Dark Lord, Dementors, a Dragon, and a host of other creatures and situations; but right now he was feeling a bit like running away. His tests were over and the Healer had told him she would be back in 10 minutes time to go over everything they had found. As glad as he was to be done, the prospect of waking Severus Snape from his obviously needed rest was one thing Harry was supremely dreading.

The tests had gone… slowly. That was really the only thing that could be said. He had given his account of the blood quill and he had given Healer Brigand the number of detentions he had served and the dates he could remember right off hand. She said the school should have recorded all detention dates but she wanted him to give them to her as well, just in case. That had taken a while because he had to tell her anything Umbridge had said during those detentions. Now, Umbridge was also being accused of attempting to drug a minor with Veritaserum

He had also divulged everything that happened in Umbridge's office before he and his friend's flight to The Ministry. Healer Brigand was beyond upset when she learned of Umbridge's intent to use the Cruciatus Cruse on him. That had been included in the report as well and Harry honestly did not see how she was going to be able to refute these charges. He was very sure any other student at school who had been subjected to her heinous detentions would step forward as soon as it became known that she was being held accountable for her actions. Harry felt confident that she would spend some time in Azkaban for it and he could not bring himself to feel bad at all. She was a sick woman who had no business being around children in any capacity.

The physical examination of the scar on his hand had taken very little time. The whole time the Healer sat examining it she was steadily speaking her observations and the dictation quill was happily writing all she said.

After that was done Healer Brigand had given him a full medical work up. It had basically shown his current health. The Healer had told him he seemed to be in perfect health, if a bit short and skinny for his age bracket. She had also told him, according to the scan, his bones seemed to be a little weak. Harry thought that was probably from lack of sufficient nutrients as a child but he did not say anything aloud.

Harry then was subjected to a thorough physical exam with all the usual things muggle doctors did as well. Making him hop on each foot, toe touching, etc. During this part of the exam, she had found the scar running down his back. He had held her off saying he knew they would be discussing similar things later so they may as well do it all at once.

Finally, the healer had instructed him to lie on the cot in only his pants and waved her wand over him in a complicated pattern. The quill had automatically started taking dictation and he was instructed to lie very still as the quill wrote down every major illness and injury he had ever had. This was definitely the part he had been dreading. The quill had written steadily for a few minutes, which to Harry wasn't that bad.

The Healer had not even looked at the parchment before she closed his file. She had told him she was going to look over the sheet and she would be back. She had instructed him to get dressed, wake Snape, and proceeded to take her leave. Harry was left staring at his sleeping professor hoping the man did not automatically hex him when he woke him up.

Cautiously, Harry walked over to the sleeping man and tentatively placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Sir." Harry said in his normal speaking voice. Snape's breathing didn't even change. "Sir." Harry said a little more forcefully giving his shoulder a little shake. The response to that was a bit surprising.

The man mumbled something that sounded alarmingly like "fuck off". Harry did not even try to contain a chuckle. That was bloody hilarious! Then to Harry's further mirth the man then turned over on his side and, Harry hardly dared to think it, _snuggled _into the leather chair pulling his legs up a bit it a position resembling a fetal pose.

Harry stood there for a moment looking at the man in disbelief before muttering a quite "When the hell did Severus Snape become so human?"

It took Harry several more minutes to rouse the man, but when he finally did the man sent him a glare so fierce he could only back away slowly hoping he hadn't survived all he had just to meet his end at the hands of a sleep deprived Potions Master.

"What. Is. It. Potter." He asked, hissing between his teeth. Harry gulped.

"Uhm, Healer Brigand just finished all the testing. She's looking over everything now, but she should be back in a few minutes to discuss everything." Harry said softly. He did not want to agitate the man anymore than he all ready was.

"You did say to wake you…" But he was cut off by the dour man before he could finish his sentence.

"Yes, yes." He said waving his hand vaguely in Harry's direction. Snape then stood up, pulled his wand, and silently refreshed his clothing and banished the leather chair. He stood there for a moment with his wand arm across his chest and his other hand pinching the bridge of his nose tightly. Relaxing slightly he brought his hand down and then pocketed his wand.

"I assume everything went acceptably." He said finally looking at you young man.

"Yes sir, everything went just fine. She did say she would be bringing the paperwork to document anything found on the long-term scan she did. Hopefully it won't take long, it's already ten past eleven and I know the Headmaster was expecting me to come to his office after Madam Pomfrey released me."

"Hmm."

"She also said she wanted to take some pictures of the scar on my hand and one on my back, but she said I would need a consent form signed for that. Would you be able to do that, sir?" Harry didn't particularly care one way or another. Having the pictures would really only lend credence to his claims of abuse against Umbridge and the Dursley's, but the physical evidence would be damning nonetheless.

"I can, we shall see if it is necessary."

The both sat in silence for a moment until Harry voiced a question he had been pondering over for the better part of the last hour.

"Do you think Professor Dumbledore is going to be angry?"

"To what exactly are you referring, Mr. Potter?" Snape said, looking at the boy with a quirk of one brow. "There are quite a few things we have done this morning which the Headmaster will be less than pleased with."

Harry couldn't help but grin at that. Breaking the rules with Snape. He never would have even imagined it. The grin then slid off his face, he really hoped Snape didn't get into to much trouble on his account. He fiddled with his shirt for a moment trying to think of exactly what he wanted to ask. He sighed.

"Mostly I'm talking about reporting the Dursley's." He paused a moment to think and then slowly voiced his thoughts.

"I know he knew of some of the things they did, like not feeding me properly during the holidays, but he always insisted I go back because of the protection the blood wards gave me. That was always most important. Every time I asked to stay at The Burrow or at Hogwarts, he always stressed how much I needed those wards. I was just thinking that he might be really angry when he finds out, that's all."

Harry wasn't sure why he cared what the old man thought, especially after how he had so callously treated him this year. It bothered him to think of the old man angry with him. He had been the first adult he had ever really trusted.

"He may very well be angry." Snape said slowly. He walked over and leaned his hip on the side of the bed Harry was sitting cross-legged on.

"I believe we will just have to deal with his anger on this issue. I am sure he meant no lasting harm, but Albus can not truly appreciate what abuse of any kind will do to a child."

He gave Harry a piercing look. "The Headmaster may be a genius but he is extremely idealistic. At times, I think he simply can't understand a family treating a child anyway other than kindly."

"But he knows! At least some of it" Harry cried exasperatedly. "I know he does!"

Snape glared at him and gave him a look which clearly said 'settle down'

"I'm sure he does. He has his reasons to keep you there and I am sure it is completely to do with the blood wards. What I am attempting to get through that stubbornly thick skull of your, is even though he knows you are neglected and believes it should be bared, I doubt he truly believes you were ever physically abused. He cannot fathom even the idea. I am not sure how he will react to the evidence but I suspect he will be extremely upset with the Dursley's but still adamant that either way it was for the best."

"The best for whom?" Harry said quietly. Snape said nothing but silently agreed.

Both men sat in quiet contemplation until a brisk knock on the door sounded and the Healer walked through the door and closed it with a snap. She walked over to Professor Snape and held her hand out for him to take, which he did.

"Valeria Brigand, Healer. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine Healer Brigand. I am Severus Snape, Potions Master at Hogwarts. I hope Harry behaved himself more favorably with you than he does whilst in the school infirmary. He is constantly trying the Matrons patience."

Healer Brigand smiled at him and sat in her chair at the desk. "He did everything I asked and answered every question as well." As she turned from Snape to face the desk, she winked at Harry. Harry just grinned.

"Now, I think we should discuss some of the things I found in your deep scan, Harry."

The Healer turned her chair around to face Harry and Snape and laid his chart in her lap with the quill poised for dictation. Harry had pulled his bottom lip into His mouth and was biting it harshly. _Here we go_, he thought.

"The test recorded your injuries and illnesses in chronological order but I think I would like to start with the simple things first. You had a few concussions as a child, were those seen to in a muggle hospital?"

"No ma'am. I've never been to the hospital and I only went to the muggle doctors for my physicals for school and immunizations."

The woman looked at him for a moment. "Are you saying you never went when you were sick or hurt?" Harry shook his head. "Never?" She asked again with a bit of disbelief.

"No ma'am, my relatives didn't want to waste the money. I heal pretty well on my own."

"Yes." She said absently looking down at his chart again shaking her head. "I suppose you would have had to."

Harry started to bite his lip again at that comment. The Healer had stopped the dictation and was busily writing something on the parchment in his folder. He was watching her so intently he started when he felt a finger tap his mouth. Harry immediately released his lip and looked over at Snape. The man looked at him intently, gave him a small nod, and settled his hip back onto the cot Harry was sitting on. Harry assumed it was Snape's way of being encouraging.

"Alright, Harry, I know probably don't remember exactly when you received these concussions, but they are caused by a blow to the head. Can you remember any times where your Aunt or Uncle could have been to blame?"

Harry gave a sad little grin and snorted once.

"My Uncle backhanded me into the wall a few times and my aunt liked to swing pots and pans at me when I did something she didn't like while in the kitchen. She only hit me the first time she did that. I think I was five. I learned to duck quickly after that."

The Healer was busily writing on her parchment almost the entire time he was talking. The raven-haired boy wondered why she didn't just set it back to dictate. _Maybe she is just trying to make me more comfortable. _He thought. _I know it'd be harder for me to say all this if she was sitting there staring at me the whole time._

"Any other reason?" She asked while still writing.

"Uh." Harry rubbed the back of his head, thinking. "Well, my cousin and his gang of friends were the neighborhood bullies. I got beat up, a lot. I doubt any of them hit me hard enough to give me a concussion though. I learned to run fast pretty soon after we all started school together and they could never catch me after that." He knew he was beginning to ramble so he closed his mouth.

"Okay then Harry." She said as she stopped writing and looked up at him. "We should move on. The next thing I want to ask about is the three hairline fractures you received as a child. Two in your left arm and one in your right. The scan said your magic helped heal you with those. Is this correct.

"Yes ma'am. There isn't anything spectacular to say about those really. My uncle is a large man. Seriously large. And I guess that makes him really strong as well. He grabbed me a lot and pulled me around and was generally very harsh when he did." The Healer nodded her head at this. "He wasn't doing anything any different then usual, but he grabbed my arm and twisted a little and it just broke. I think I was four or so the first time he did that. Aunt Petunia was pretty mad at him. I wasn't able to help very much with the chores for a while."

"Is that what happened the other two times as well?"

"Yes ma'am."

"How about pulling you arm out of socket? I see that happened a few times while you were a child."

Harry fidgeted uncomfortably for a moment before answering the Healer. "He would yank me up a lot, or jerk me towards him and one time he just pulled it right out of socket. It hurt horribly when he put it back in. It was easier to pop out after that so eventually Uncle Vernon started grabbing me by the front of my shirt instead."

"And your relatives didn't take you to see a muggle doctor any of those times?" The Healer was still talking in a professional voice and her face was impassive, but her cheeks were flushed in anger. She obviously all ready knew the answer to that question and it upset her greatly.

Harry merely shook his head at her again. I mean really. What exactly was he supposed to say? He'd all ready answered that question before.

Healer Brigand wrote a bit more in his chart and, Harry thought, took a moment to calm herself back down.

"Since we are all ready going out of order, I would sincerely like to know how you received the scar on your back. It's a pretty nasty one." She looked up expectantly and Harry.

"May I see this scar?" Snape asked in a flat tone. Harry looked at the man for the first time since the questioning started. The man was black faced and his arms were crossed tightly over his chest.

The Healer stood up and tapped her wand on the desk in a short pattern. A camera appeared.

"Why don't we do this, Harry. I'll go a head and take some pictures of your back while you explain how you came to have this. With Professor Snape's consent of course?"

"Sure." He said quietly, shrugging one shoulder lightly.

"You may take the pictures." Was all Snape said.

He turned his back on the two adults in the room and pulled his shirt off. He heard the camera shutter gong off and decided he may as well go ahead and explain how he received this scar.

"Dudley had just turned 10. He had this grand birthday party at the house and afterward Uncle Vernon took him and two of his friends to the cinema. I was left at home with Aunt Petunia to clean up after the party. Aunt Petunia told me to carry all of Dudley's presents up to his room so I did.

Harry noticed the camera had stopped clicking so he turned back around, pulled his shirt on, and sat back down as he continued his tale.

"He had received quite a few presents so it took a good 3 trips to carry everything upstairs that need to be taken up. I wasn't allowed at the party so on the last trip up when I noticed he had received some books I looked through them to see what he had been given.

"He had received the entire collection of Narnia books by C.S. Lewis. I knew better than to stay to long in his room looking at his things but I just couldn't help myself." Harry gave a sort of scoff at his younger self. He really had known better at the time. It was a stupid mistake and it had cost him.

"You see," He said looking up at the Healer and his Professor who had migrated to stand beside the Healers desk. "I had read six of them. _The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe _all the way to _The Final Battle. _But the very first one, _The Magicians Nephew, _I hadn't read because the school library didn't have it. So when I saw it there I, very stupidly, pulled it out to read the summary on the back. I got distracted after that and started to read the book. I'm not sure how long I was in there but it was long enough for my Uncle and Cousin to get back home."

Harry ran his hands through his hair making it even messier than usual before continuing. "Dudley came in and saw me with one of his new gifts and threw a complete fit. It didn't matter that he wouldn't have even touched those books, they were his and I wasn't allowed to touch his things."

He started nervously fiddling with the end of his shirt so he could look somewhere other than at the two adults looking at him so unwaveringly. Grasping a piece of wayward string, he pulled it off and started compulsively wrapping and unwrapping it around his right index finger.

"He stopped screaming at me long enough to try and yank the book out of my hand, but when he did that, he only grabbed the cover and few of the pages and they were torn out of the book. When Aunt Petunia came up to see why her precious son was screaming she and saw the torn book she immediately went to comfort Dudley. Dudley, being the opportunistic little bastard he was, immediately started the fake tears. I knew I was in trouble then so I quickly ran downstairs and closed myself in my cupboard." Harry missed the dark looks the Healer and Snape exchanged. He took a deep breath and kept explaining.

"I ran because I knew exactly what was going to happen. As soon as Uncle Vernon found I ruined one of his son's presents he was going to take a belt to me." He looked up as he heard a sharp intake of breath. His emerald eyes met with onyx and what he saw there surprised him. Understanding. The man nodded his head minutely in encouragement.

"It didn't happen really often. Just when I did accidental magic or something they considered extremely bad, and ruining Dudley's things was definitely in that category. I guess we'll talk more about those instances later?" The Healer nodded once.

"Anyway I was scared so I ran and when Uncle Vernon found out he was very unhappy. I refused to come out of the cupboard. It may seem as though I have no self-preservation now, but I still had some then and I wasn't willing to come out of there of my own accord when I knew what was waiting for me. Another mistake." He said the last in a soft voice. While he had been talking, Snape had reached over and taken the string he had been playing with away so he just clenched his hands in his lap as he relayed the last part of his story.

"Uncle Vernon reached in and grabbed me by both ankles and pulled me out. I was flat on my back and evidently, there was small bit of a nail sticking out of the floor so when he pulled me it cut into my skin fairly deeply. He didn't realize what had happened; I guess he thought I was just trying to make a fuss about being thrashed, so he kept pulling me out. That's how I got the scar. Aunt Petunia nearly fainted when she saw the blood so Uncle Vernon is the one who had to clean me up. He actually put some ointment on it and covered it in gauze. I was really surprised."

After finishing his tale, there was complete silence. Harry shifted uncomfortable and looked up at the adults from underneath his fringe. Snape was looking as impassive as ever although he was clenching his jaw tightly. He was looking at Harry in an almost assessing manner. The Healer, on the other hand, had taken the quill herself and was writing who knew what in his file. He knew the quill had been writing while he told them of his scar so he assumed she was writing her thoughts. Her hand was covering her mouth tightly as she wrote and she wasn't looking at Harry. She was probably only trying to reign in her facial features. She sighed and lowered her hand.

"And they didn't take you to see a Doctor for that." Harry shook his head.

"Not even to get a Tetanus Shot."

"How would they have explained why I needed it?" The boy asked. Sometimes adults were so clueless. Why would they have taken him to get any type of treatment? They didn't care about his well-being. They only cared how they looked and taking him to the Doctor with an injury like that would have raised questions. He had understood that early on. There was silence again for a moment and Harry used the time to think of what he would be asked about next.

"Were you still punished?" A deep voice interrupted his musings and both Harry and the Healer looked and the dark man.

"Huh?" Harry asked eloquently. Snape merely rolled his eyes.

"For the book, Mr. Potter. Were you still punished for that incident?"

"Oh." Harry said. "Well…yeah. He waited until the next day but I was still punished for it."

"That," the Healer said, "would be a good starting place for the next round of questions. How exactly were you punished, Harry?"

Harry blushed and cleared his throat. He ran his hand through his hair again and rubbed the back of neck idly before answering.

"Well, he um, he gave me a hiding." Harry cleared his throat again. Merlin, this was embarrassing to talk about.

"You're going to have to be more specific than that Harry." She looked at him sympathetically for a moment. "Details may not seem very important but they truly are. Corporal punishment is common in the wizarding world. Some families will use an implement as well so I need to be sure there was excessive force before I include that it my report."

"Oh, well, okay then." He said. "Well I suppose I should mention that every time my Uncle punished my physically he sent my Aunt and Cousin out. To town or to the cinema or something."

"Really?" The Healer said, genuinely curious. "Why do think he did that."

"I guess he didn't want Dudley to see or hear." Harry shrugged.

"Did your Uncle not punish your cousin in the same way?"

Harry looked at the Healer as if she were crazy. "Vernon punish Dudley? I'm not sure he ever punished Dudley for anything. I don't even think he's been on restriction!" Harry said.

"Hmm." Was the woman's response. She was jotting notes again on his chart. He waited for her to finish and start the dictation again.

"Well, he did what he always did when he strapped me. He dragged me in the kitchen and bent me over the table. That time he took my trousers down as well and that only happened one other time. He was really mad. He took his belt off and strapped me for what felt like forever and when he was finished he threw me back in my cupboard." Harry put his left thumb in his mouth and chewed it for a moment before he saw the warning look Snape shot him. He lowered his hand to his lap with a huff. The man just wouldn't quit! He was allowed to have a nervous habit!

"Did he hit you hard enough to leave any marks or bruising?" She asked him. Harry didn't even have to think about it.

"Yes'm. My whole backside was black and blue for a while after that. It was one of the worst ones he ever gave me. Doesn't your read out show any heavy bruising."

Brigand flipped a page in his file and read for a moment. "Yes, I believe so. You were 9 correct?"

"Yes ma'am."

The Healer looked at the chart a moment more before tapping a line sheet and saying, "Similar injuries."

She looked up at Harry. "Your chart indicates five other instances of bruising on your backside. Most of it was only just deep enough to register on the scan but one instance was worse. I'd like you to me at least two other instances where your Uncle bruised you, including the severe one you received at 8. That should do it for the bruising. Then we can discuss this cupboard, your bout of pneumonia, and your malnutrition. Okay?"

Harry took a deep breath and began telling the two adults about his apparating to the school roof as a child and the consequences of that action. He continued by telling them all about his living conditions as a child and his lack of nutrition. By the end of the visit Harry was visibly exhausted, Snape was looking more and more like the muggle hating Death Eater he pretended to be, and Healer Brigand was silently swearing to herself to finish this report and have Harry visited by Child Services to discuss foster homes by the beginning of the next week.

Healer Brigand had assured Harry that every member of child services was placed under a confidentiality spell and were literally unable to speak about any child's case to anyone not cleared. That included the Minister, so Harry had nothing to fear about this leaking to the press or Fudge trying to gain custody of him to suit his political needs. A much-relieved Harry Potter followed Professor Snape out the doors leading to the waiting room where they would check out.

Harry almost ran straight into Snape's back when the man suddenly stopped right outside the doorframe. Curious, Harry peaked around the Professor only to meet bright blue eyes, which for once, were not twinkling in the slightest.

* * *

So who do you think should foster Harry? I was thinking a Slytherin. Maybe Blaise Zabini. Any idea's? Thanks for reading!


	6. The Confrontation

** Thank you to everyone who left reviews. Some of you were so extremely flattering! *blushes* Anyway, thank you to everyone who has left criticism as well. I need that. I am horrible at punctuation and I still have no beta so I am sure there will be more mistakes. I have taken all the feedback and, hopefully, this chapter is better than the last. I make no promises though!

**Also, the scene where Dumbledore tells Harry the prophesy is alluded to in this chapter, I didn't write any of it though, so I hope you are all familiar with it.

* * *

**The Confrontation**

Albus Dumbledore walked purposely away from the infirmary. Hermione Granger and Harry Potter had been transferred to St. Mungos, and he was not happy at all. He could not believe Poppy had deliberately kept such information from him.

It had taken a bit of persuasion but Poppy had finally told him exactly how it had occurred and Harry's role in their transfer. He couldn't help but be faintly amused despite himself. That boy was so willful and stubborn! He may be a spitting image of his father, but he had his mother's temper and fierce loyalty. It was assuredly something Lily would have done.

One thing the old man could not comprehend was Severus' involvement in the whole escapade. He had tried for many years to show Severus he was wrong in his assumptions of poor Harry. The caustic man would not hear a word of it and steadfastly refused even being civil with the child. Now he had not only taken the boy and his friend to the hospital, but he had stayed as chaperone entirely without coercion! It was simply baffling.

As the man strode into his office, he worried about what his wayward children were getting up to at that moment. There were specific reasons for his insistence the children stay here to be treated. Miss Granger's presence at St. Mungos would have raised questions if she had been brought in alone. The girl was exceptionally brilliant, but she definitely had a mouth on her. She would have asked, inevitably, where the other members of her party were. There would have been questions and he simply could not risk it. Harry had to be protected after all, no matter the sacrifices and consequences.

The man continued his musings as he picked up a handful of floo powder and traversed the floo system with practiced ease. When he landed in the floo entrance, he smiled genially to the attendant waiting there and rushed out the double doors and into the reception area.

"Excuse me Madam." Said the old man after waiting a few moments in line. "I wonder if you could please tell me where I might find two students of mine who are currently in residence here."

The young woman behind the desk looked at him with wide eyes. "Of c-course sir! What would their names be?" She continued to look at him with wide-eyed reverence.

"Miss Hermione Granger and Mr. Harry Potter." He leaned close as he whispered the two names to her. It would not do to have the entire wizarding world know two high profile Death Eater targets were currently ensconced in the highly assessable hospital.

"Oh, of course, they were brought in several hours ago." She checked her parchments quickly, parchments that were enchanted so only the welcome witch could see, and said, "Miss Granger is on the fourth floor at the moment but it seems she is no longer accepting visitors."

"I see." He wondered why Severus had restricted visitation. No matter, in absence of her parents he could make those decisions now that he was here. He needed to speak with the girl and have her transferred back to Hogwarts.

"As the young lady in question is currently in residence at Hogwarts and without her parents at this time…" He didn't even get to finish his sentence before the witch interrupted.

"Oh but her parents are here, sir. The other professor brought them almost immediately after her arrival." She took a moment to read something on the parchment and so missed the surprised look on the old man's face. "That's all I can tell you though, sir. Patient confidentiality and all that."

She continued to peruse the parchment as Dumbledore tried to figure out exactly what was going on. Severus had gone to fetch Hermione Grangers muggle parents? He needed a lemon drop.

"Mr. Potter is currently being seen in one of the Pediatric offices here on this floor. I believe he is with Healer Brigand."

Albus nearly sagged with relief when he heard that, although he was confused why Harry was there. He thanked the witch and swept out of the lobby and toward the Pediatric Unit. As he traveled, he tried to think of a reason why Harry would be seeing Pediatric Healer.

He was suddenly hit with the memories of Severus coming to him with suspicions of abuse against the child. Severus had had no proof and though he knew the Dursleys hated Harry and neglected him to an extent, he was sure they had never abused the boy. He was safe there and the lack of familial love would have to be borne.

Blue eyes turned cold in an instant. Severus had tried repeatedly to convince him to remove young Harry from the Dursleys. When that had been denied he had pled his case for allowing Madam Pomphrey to do a thorough exam on the boy, he had refused that course of action as well. There was no need. The Dursley's were Harry's blood relatives after all, and they would not have hurt him. It was just ridiculous to think it were even a possibility!

Severus had let it go, he had thought. Now, as he walked at a faster pace toward the Healers office, he realized Severus had not let it go at all.

The Headmaster stopped in front of the doors leading him to the pediatric waiting room, took a deep calming breath, and opened the doors. He walked swiftly over to the Nurse at the desk.

"Excuse me." He said with a genial smile. "Could you please direct me towards Mr. Potter's exam room?" He vaguely remembered the woman at the desk, her last name was Simon or Simone or something like that. She had been a Ravenclaw about a decade ago.

"Headmaster!" She greeted him with no small amount of surprise. "Mr. Potter you say? I'm sorry sir but he has an escort with him now, so I can't let you back there. Only one at a time is allowed, but they should be out any minute now. Healer Brigand was just up here to give me his chart for check out." She smiled warmly at him, oblivious to his carefully hidden aggravation.

Just as he was about to argue with the woman, the door behind her opened and Severus Snape stepped out. He stopped abruptly when he saw the Headmaster standing there. For once, the ever-present twinkle in the old man's eye was missing. He was unhappy indeed and he would let Severus know that as soon as they were safely ensconced back at Hogwarts.

* * *

Harry peaked around the potions master and felt rage well up inside him. He tried valiantly to keep it out of his eyes, he was not entirely sure he succeeded. He wanted answers from the man in front of him and he knew having a tantrum in the middle of the Pediatric Ward in St. Mungos would not get him any of those.

"Severus, I don't believe I gave you leave to escort Mr. Potter off school grounds." Blue eyes looked at onyx ones piercingly and with no little anger. "I think it would be best if we all returned to the school immediately. There are many things which need to be discussed."

Harry was still angry with the man, especially since he was again ignoring him and speaking only with Snape, but he had to admit to being scared as well. He could well see now why Voldemort still feared him enough to leave Hogwarts alone. Earlier when he and Snape had spoken of the Headmaster reaction, the man had seemed a little worried. He imagined Snape must have been mightily worried to allow Harry to see even that barest hint of apprehension. He understood that apprehension completely now.

When the Headmaster had uttered his previous words, he let loose a portion of his power and it was radiating from him in sharp waves. Harry had always been able to feel that power, even under normal circumstances because the man had such an abundance of magic. It just seemed to hover around him at all times. Feeling Dumbledore's magic had always made him feel reassured; now, however, it was making him feel far from that. It was incredibly intimidating. He supposed that was the reason the Headmaster was doing it.

Snape obviously felt the same. Harry stared disbelievingly as he felt Snape let loose some of his own power in retaliation. Were these two seriously squaring off right here in front of everyone? In a Pediatric Ward? He looked around and saw all of the children had abandoned their toys and were huddled with their mothers or fathers. None of them were crying, but they were all looking at the two fully-grown wizards in their midst with wary expressions.

"I think," Harry said in a quiet and intense voice, "You are scaring the children."

The two powerful wizards both turned and looked at him and then took in their surroundings. It was obvious they realized Harry was right because they instantly reined their magic back in and stepped away from one another.

Harry had other things to do at the moment then to sit and watch anymore posturing. He had something specific he needed to do before he left the hospital, so he took advantage of the two wizard's distraction and purposely walked toward the ward doors. Most of the kids had disentangled from their parents at this point and had congregated near the end of the couch closest to the doors. Some had already crossed over to the play area.

"Don't worry little sprogs." He said ruffling one small boy's hair as he slowly passed them. "Even adults throw fits every once in a while."

There was some quiet giggling at that pronouncement. As he passed through the ward doors he looked back to see if either of the other men were following him and saw, to his immense satisfaction, both men had spots of color high on their cheek bones.

_Serves them right._ Harry thought to himself as the ward doors closed behind him. Honestly. They were grown men. He had controlled his anger, and in his opinion he had much more to be angry about then either of them did. Although, he supposed Snape had just been reacting to the Headmaster.

He had only taken a few steps down the corridor when the ward doors opened again and the Headmaster quickly stepped out.

"Harry!" He called, walking briskly to catch up. Harry stopped and allowed him to do so trying hard to suppress the resentment he was still feeling for the wizard now standing beside him. Harry started walking again, refusing to look at the man beside him. It was immature, he knew, to refuse to look at the man as he had done all year, but he simply couldn't help it. Anyway, he was still only 15 and he felt justified in acting just that age.

"Professor Snape is handling the check out process and will meet us in my office as soon as he has finished." Professor Dumbledore broke the quiet, looking at the boy beside him who was steadfastly keeping his head facing forward. "I must admit I feel an explanation is in order. This little escapade to the hospital was unnecessary and I am still at a loss as to its purpose, for you at least."

The Headmaster was fishing for information. Harry knew he was. He was hoping that it was just general curiosity; he had caught them in the Pediatric unit after all. He almost certainly had no idea where he and Snape had spent the majority of the morning. If what Snape said were true, the man would be in for a shock when he discovered the potion master had been correct about his abuse. At least Harry hoped he was shocked.

He was all ready sickeningly aware that the man could have known about the horcrux. He was desperate to hear otherwise and even though he knew it was a possibility, deep down he couldn't believe the man he had trusted these last years could have known and said nothing. No matter what had happened this year the man he had known would never sacrifice him, as he knew would have had to happen. Right?

"I also feel an explanation is in order, sir. I think both need to wait until we are back at school." That was all Harry said. It was all he felt needed to be said. Dumbledore pierced him with a look but said nothing else as the walked back to the Entry Way.

Harry immediately turned to the Welcome Witch and inquired about the Finance Department. She told him where it was located, Dumbledore watching with mild curiosity the whole while. Harry bid the Lady a good afternoon and walked a few paces to the left where a nondescript door was sitting with a brass plaque was situated reading Finance Office.

"Harry, my boy," Harry heard the Headmaster say as he followed him. "I really must insist we…" The raven didn't even look at the Headmaster before he opened the door and walked in.

The reception area was small with only two small dark plum colored couches facing the reception desk, both with a plethora of different shades of orange pillows decorating them. There was a long dark wood side table between them covered in magazines and Daily Prophets; he could even see a Quibbler.

The reception Desk was set up in the far right corner of the room and the three office doors were on the right wall, the first two of which were closed.

Harry heard the Headmaster shut the door behind them as he walked to the reception desk.

"Excuse me sir." He said to the fair-haired man sitting at the desk. "I need to speak with someone…" The man didn't even look up from what he was writing when he cut him off.

"Just go in the first door. Mr. Shelton will help you."

Harry shook his head slightly wondering if everyone in this place was having an off day. The people working here needed to work on their people skills. He walked over to the first door and knocked on the door jam.

"Sir?" He asked in a voice barely above a whisper. It was so quiet here compared the waiting room he had just been in!

A man with light brown balding hair looked up for his paperwork. He stood and Harry could see he was a portly man. He had a gentle smile and many laugh lines on his face.

"Come in. Come in." He said waving them in. He reached his hand across the Desk toward Dumbledore.

"Horatio Shelton, and you are Albus Dumbledore correct?"

Harry tuned out the rest of the conversation out as he looked around the warmly decorated office. It was covered in pictures of who he assumed were the man's children and grand children. He only looked around a moment. There wasn't anything particularly interesting in here and he had business to get to in any case. He tuned back into the two men's conversation just in time.

"I believe young Mr. Potter here wished to do some business with you today, I am merely along as chaperone." Harry had to repress a snort. The old man was great at spinning things it seemed. Harry was sure if it had been up to Dumbledore they wouldn't even be in this room right now.

Horatio Shelton looked inquisitively at Harry, eyes flicking briefly to his scar, and then gestured for both men to sit.

"You see, sir." Harry started after they had all settled comfortably in their seats. "I wanted to enquire about paying the fees I accrued today. I also l wanted to see about paying the fees accrued by Hermione Granger. I think she's probably going to be back for some follow ups and I want to pay for those as well." He was forgetting something, he knew it, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember what it was.

Meanwhile, the Accountant was looking at Harry as though he had never seen anyone quite like him. He surreptitiously shot Dumbledore and inquiring look. When the older man nodded his head, he was even more astonished. In his experience, teenagers were a selfish lot. Paying for someone else's medical bills was about as unselfish as one could get.

"Oh I remember." Harry said suddenly. "Ron Weasley will most likely be coming for some treatments this summer as well. I think he will be seeing some mind healers, but I'm not sure. I would like to pay for his expenses then too"

Harry finally noticed the look on the man's face and decided to explain a little.

"They were both injured last night because of my stupidity." The man smiled a little at that. This he could reconcile with a teenager. Stupidity.

"I just want to do this for them. It's' the right thing to do." Harry finished.

Harry didn't miss the look of pride on Professor Dumbledore's face, nor the twinkle returning to his eye, but he steadfastly ignored it. Under normal circumstances, both would have filled him with joy. Now, he felt very little. There was too much between them that needed to be discussed. His attention shift to Mr. Shelton as the man spoke.

"Very responsible of you, Mr. Potter. Very responsible indeed." Harry blushed pink at that declaration.

"Well." Said Mr. Shelton clapping his hands together once for emphasis. "Lets get started shall we?"

* * *

Twenty minutes later Harry and Professor Dumbledore exited the floo into the Headmasters office. Harry was quite pleased with how things had gone in the finance office and though his trust vault would be quite a bit emptier now, but he felt good about what he had done. He didn't know what Hermione's parents reaction would be, but he was dreading facing Mrs. Weasley when she found out. He shuddered visibly at this though and Dumbledore shot him an inquisitive look he didn't see.

Professor Snape was waiting, very impatiently, standing next to the large desk in the middle of the room. The scowl on his face let everyone know his displeasure at having to wait.

Professor Dumbledore was seemingly unaffected by this and simply went and sat in the regal looking chair behind his desk. Harry fidgeted nervously for a moment before walking forward and standing between the two chairs in front said desk. He didn't feel much like sitting at the moment. He was angry, and nervous, and in all actuality, he thought he might just be sick. He wanted answers but he thought, just this once, that maybe he could remain ignorant. It would probably hurt much less. He had a decidedly bad feeling about this meeting.

"Severus." Dumbledore started as soon as he realized neither Harry not Severus had any intention to sit. "For the moment we will over look the fact that you consented to escort two students off school grounds without notifying me. Poppy will need to be here as well when we discuss that. I would like to know, child, why you took Mr. Potter to the Pediatric Center and what exactly was done there."

Severus glare could have melted steel and Harry wasn't doing much better.

"I am standing right here, Headmaster." Harry said, his quiet voice wavering slightly from trying to keep his temper. "If you would like to know, maybe you should ask me."

For the first time in months, Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter looked each other in the eye. Harry did not even try to stop the anger and hurt from shining through. He couldn't even dredge up the smallest amount of pity when he saw the old man almost visibly age before his eyes.

"I think those explanations can wait for another time. Severus, if you would excuse us, there are some things I need to discuss with Mr. Potter." Snape maintained his glare but nodded his head in assent.

"He can stay."

Both men looked at him incredulously for a moment. Snape was the first to recover and let a small smirk play over his mouth. He walked over to the chair to Harry's left and sat down, rather smugly in Harry's opinion.

Dumbledore recovered soon after. "Harry we will be talking of certain things I am unsure you would want Severus to be present for. Sirius, for example."

At the mention of Sirius' name, a glass orb, which had been sitting on the headmaster's desk, exploded. Fawkes gave a reassuring sounding trill, flew from his perch, circled Harry once, and then flew back to his perch. The trill was enough to calm Harry's magic. The other men were looking at him in a way Harry couldn't place.

"You have said, Headmaster that you trust Severus Snape and I should as well. I didn't trust him when it mattered and my friends were hurt and my godfather is dead." He choked the last word out with some difficulty.

"He can stay." Harry may still dislike the man's attitude, but he had done something no other adult had ever done. He had stood up for him and got him help. He would never have to go back to the Dursley's and for that; Harry would trust the man anything.

The Headmaster sighed sadly. "Harry, I must confess, if I had been honest with you from the very beginning all of this could have been avoided. Come, sit down, and I will tell you of an old man's mistakes."

* * *

As Harry watched the Tear roll down the Headmaster's cheek, he felt numb. He looked over at Snape and saw him sitting with his head in his hands, elbow resting on his knees.

He had been told many things this hour, the largest being the prophecy and Snape's roll in it. He felt he should be raging at the man right now; only, Snape had been the one who had interrupted the Headmaster while he had been recounting to Harry about the nameless Death Eater listening at the door and hearing the prophecy. Snape had told Harry how it had been he who had listened in and then, later, related the prophecy back to Voldemort.

Harry was upset, but not overly so. The man had told him the truth, after all, even when the Headmaster hadn't wanted to. Snape had seemed so incredibly torn up about it that Harry hadn't said one cross word. It was obvious he regretted that decision and had switched sides to make up for it.

He was curious about why exactly Snape had switched sides when he found out who Voldemort was targeting but that could wait. It was small in comparison to every other question still needing answering. No, he wasn't angry with Snape, the man had made his mistake and was still trying to atone. The Headmaster however, was very different.

The raven-haired boy wanted to forgive the man he had looked up to for so long, and he could, for this. He had done what he thought was best to keep everyone safe and Harry understood that. Because of that deceit, however, other issues had arisen.

The problem was Harry now knew the Headmaster was willing to hide important information from him. Information that could cost lives, intentional or not. What else had he hidden?

"If one more thing happens today I'm going to have a complete break down." Harry whispered as he leaned back in his chair and ruffled his hair. It was true and he knew it. Talking about Sirius had ripped him open.

"May I inquire what else happened today, Harry?" Professor Dumbledore said quietly. Harry looked up at him and then over at Snape, who had finally sat up and was looking as composed as ever.

Harry wasn't sure where to start. Dumbledore was unaware of where he and Snape had been most of the morning. Harry could tell him now and maybe see by the reaction if he knew about the soul piece. Another part of him wanted to tell him about the Dursleys first and get that finished. Thankfully, Snape decided for him.

"I took Mr. Potter to the Pediatric wing for a full diagnostic work up, Albus. The deeper invasive scan turned up some disconcerting results." Snape said in his usual brisk way. The Headmaster look surprised briefly before gathering himself once more. He was looking at the Potions Master with a skeptical look. Harry felt like a lead weight had settled in his stomach and he was suddenly glad he had never confided in the man before. He wouldn't have been believed.

"Really, Severus, and exactly what did they find? I am sure there was nothing so bad as to warrant a trip to the hospital." Dumbledore said with iced over blue eyes Harry was surprised to see.

"They found a long history of broken bones, dislocated shoulders, deep bruising, and long term malnutrition. Nothing at all serious, just like you assured me." Snape said the last bit with so much sarcasm even Harry flinched. Dumbledore was looking surprised again.

"Oh yes, and let us not forget the fact that none of those injuries were treated. At. All." The Potion master looked calm as ever as he dealt the Headmaster another blow. The old man looked at Harry over his half moon shaped spectacles in an almost assessing way, and then his gaze became softer. Harry could feel the heat creeping up his neck and looked down at his hands as he entwined them in his lap.

"Harry you must understand." The old man said quietly, obviously trying to placate Harry. The boy got the distinct feeling the Headmaster didn't really believe Snape's assertions. "They are your only blood. Not only did the blood wards protect you, but you should have been with them regardless. Family is important. I truly believed you would do best in their care."

"Blood relations aren't always best, Albus." Snape cut in quietly.

"You are projecting your own childhood onto Harry, Severus. Not every unhappy child is abused." Snape sucked in a breath and look of hurt crossed his face for a moment. Harry winced in sympathy. What a horrid thing to say. The Headmaster then turned back to Harry, a kind smile on his face.

"Rest assured," said the bespectacled man gently, "I will speak with the Dursleys personally to make sure you are treated well by them for the duration of your stay there."

Harry whipped his head up and gaped at the man. He was sure he looked like a complete idiot but he couldn't bring himself to care. He looked to Snape but the man was back to sneering and was shaking his head. Evidently he had expected this, Harry had not.

He couldn't believe the old man thought _talking _to the Dursley's about treating him better would do anything but make things worse for him. Besides, the worst had happened years ago, no amount of talking was going to change anything that had happened. Anger started to well within him again.

"I didn't realize the wizarding world had such a lenient view of child abuse." Harry said wanting to see the Headmaster's reaction. It was both disappointing and not.

"Abuse?" He truly looked scandalized. "My dear boy, while the Dursley's may not enjoy your residing in their home, I daresay they would never truly harm you physically in a purposeful way. Any accidents that occurred…" Harry didn't even give him a chance to finish. A few of the delicate golden instrument on the table behind him exploded.

"Accident?" He whispered in a shaking, disbelieving voice as he stood from his chair. "You think they were Accidents?" He voice was louder now, his teeth clenched tightly together. "Did you even hear what Professor Snape said? Broken bones are not accidents! Hiding me until I bruised was no accident! DENYING ME FOOD WAS SURE AS HELL NOT AN ACCIDENT!" His voice had steadily risen until he was yelling at the man in front of him, who was looking stricken, whether by the things being said or Harry's tone, he couldn't be sure.

"I never said a word, because I didn't think it was worth it; the worst was over, so who would care? Not you, right Professor? You knew they hated me, and didn't feed me at least. Mrs. Figg has been reporting to you for years but you did nothing. WHY?" He asked viciously.

Harry hadn't wanted anyone to know about his abuse. It was embarrassing and painful to remember, but now that the secret was out, he was beyond mad that this man was trying to downplay it. The fact that Snape, who hated him, seemed to care more than the man he had idolized hurt him immensely and, culminated with everything else that had happened today and last night, being angry seemed the easiest outlet.

"I was abused" He said in a steady voice, anger laced in every syllable.

"I have all ready told you how, and so has Professor Snape. My Aunt and Uncle hurt me and neglected me, sir. Are you saying you think I am lying about this?" He ignored the vague shaking of the old man's head. It really meant nothing.

"Even if you don't believe me, you must believe Snape. He was there during the healer's exam! He saw the reports!" Harry told him fiercely trying to stem the angry tears threatening to break free.

"You have always told me you trust Severus Snape. Now is the time to prove to me you do. He isn't making this up and neither am I." Harry took a steadying breath and peaked at Snape. The man looked surprised at his declaration but gave him a small encouraging nod just the same, so Harry continued.

"The Healers at St. Mungos have documented everything all ready, sir, so I guess it doesn't really matter if you believe us or nor. It is, after all, why we were in the Pediatric Ward in the first place.

"I was told I would be visited by a case worker as soon as the Child Services Department goes through my file." Harry waited a moment for the words to sink in, feeling oddly hollow. His anger burnt out suddenly, and he realized at that moment that he would never be able to trust Dumbledore again.

"They will be coming to the school; I'm sure, sometime next week." He said as he shook himself out of his musings.

"The Healer said I would be given a list of pre-approved foster homes. They evidently have some process of evaluation and have to be certified able to foster. I guess we'll worry about all that when the time comes, but you should know, nothing is going to change it sir. I, for one, am Happy about finally being out of the Dursley's home permanently. It was the only pleasant thought I had all day."

He took a moment to steady his breathing and then gracelessly flopped into the chair he had briefly abandoned in his anger. He slid his right thumb and first digits up under his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. He truly needed to sleep.

The silence lasted for less than thirty seconds, until finally the old man gave in.

"I believe you both, my boy. I am sorry to say I had not known the lengths at which the Dursleys would go to show their displeasure of your continued lodging in their home." He said as he ran a weary hand through his beard.

"I knew, of course, that they would begrudge you some comforts but I never truly thought you may be in danger in their care. They are your family. It is difficult for me to imagine such a thing occurring."

After a moment of what seemed like internal dialog the old man looked up at Harry and the boy was surprised to see disappointment in the man's gaze. He was even more surprised by the tightening in his gut. It seemed the Headmasters opinion still meant something to him.

"I must say though, I never thought you would put your own personal comfort above the lives of innocents Harry." Harry visibly recoiled. Is that what the man thought he was doing?

"I know you were unhappy there, my boy, and I know now you suffered what no child should ever have to. Nevertheless, don't you see it was for the best? You were safe there from those in the wizarding world who would have harmed you. Those who hunted you after your parent's death would have done so much worse to you than the Dursley's ever did."

"It was also safe for everyone else, Harry." The man continued in a soft, kindly voice. "As long as you were with the Dursleys, no one could get through the wards to harm you, but they also protected your family as well. That does not hold true with whoever takes you in now."

Harry sat there looking at his lap, shocked, upset, and guilty. He had wanted desperately to leave the Dursleys but now he wondered if it were truly the right decision. Would their home be found now he was no longer going to be residing there? It seemed so. And what about the family that took him in? He hadn't really thought that far ahead, and now it looked as though he would be putting even more people in danger. The silence permeated the room as the boy began to succumb to the guilt the headmaster had laid on his shoulders.

"How dare you." Harry looked up surprised to see Professor Snape standing rigidly in front of his chair with one of his most poisonous glares on his face. The man hissed through clenched teeth.

"How dare you sit there and tell this child it is his responsibility to ensure the safety of the adults around him! He is a child! It is up to those tasked with his safety to ensure he remains that way. It should never be the other way around, you senile old man!" He stood up and jabbed his long finger at the Headmaster.

"There is a limit of what you can heap on this child, Albus! Making him feel guilty about something that may happen, especially something that would not be his fault is despicable and you should be ashamed. You are the Headmaster of this school. It is your job to keep the children here safe. Not only from The Dark Lord but also from abuse of any kind. You are duty bound to investigate any allegations or hints of abuse. If you have other aspirations, you should have agreed to the post of minister, otherwise, I ask you to do the job you have been entrusted with! Abuse of a child is illegal and completely the abusers fault. It should never befall a child to decide whether it is best for others if he stay in an abusive situation. Never!" He banged his fist on the Headmaster desk for emphasis of that last word.

The child in question was still sitting in his chair, fingers twined together. He had gained back a little confidence after hearing Snape speak. The man was correct, after all. Something in the man's speech had struck him though, and so he felt compelled to speak before the Headmaster could offer his rebuttal.

"There _is _a limit." He said quietly, keeping his eyes fixed on the hands he held in his lap, fingers twisting slightly. "There is a limit of what I can endure. I have endured pain, and death, and hate, and a ridiculous number of other things and still, you ask more." He looked up at the man sitting stock still in his chair.

"I should not have to sit here and listen to you justify why you, even now, think the best place for me is with those who hate me so entirely." Harry stopped and took a deep breath.

"I should not have to sit here, the morning after I watched the only father figure I knew die, and listen as you try to make me feel guilty about getting away from my abusers. There is no justification in my mind for that." Tears prickled his eyes. All you have shown me is, to you, my best interests are secondary to everyone else's."

"That is not true, Harry."

"It is." He stated roughly. "It is and you know it. Do not try and sugar coat it, I understand well enough."

The room was still for a moment, each seeming to think of what to say next. The only sounds were those made by the portraits shifting in the background.

"I don't know what to say." The man said, and he did indeed look as though he was lost for words. "Harry, you and Severus must think me heartless, and it is obvious that I have lost

A great deal of trust from both of you. Understandably so, it seems. I … don't know have to gain that back. I don't know how to even begin to apologize."

The man looked so sad and pitiful in that moment. Harry could hardly bear to look at him. He looked so completely broken. Harry knew, no matter what, he would never trust the man again, but he couldn't help but try to give the Headmaster a chance to redeem himself, if only for the mans own piece of mind, as idiotic as that was for him to care about.

"I need you to tell me the truth." The boy stated softly. "Have you done that? No more secrets? No more lying?"

The man shook his head solemnly. "There are no more secrets, child, no more."

Harry looked at the man guardedly. His stomach clenched when he realized there was a way to test that little statement, but did he really want to know the truth? It took only a moment but he decided he did. He was no coward to shy away from truths he had asked for. He needed to know the full extent of the man's manipulations.

"Good. That's good to know." He said as he broke eye contact and looked over at Professor Snape. He wasn't sure what gave him away, but as soon as Harry looked at Snape the mans eyes lit up with acknowledgment and walked over to Harry's chair and stood behind it.

The clenching in his stomach grew stronger and his hands shook minutely. Out of everything that had happened in the past 24 hours, this might very well be the thing he dreaded and feared most.

"I guess I should extend that same courtesy to you, it only fair." He took a fortifying breath. "Before we went to the Pediatric Ward we visited with a Healer in the Pectus Compospotis Ward, he had some…troubling news."

Harry watched as what little of the Headmasters face could be seen paled almost completely and a gasp escaped his lips. It was in that moment Harry new the Headmaster had not been truthful, there was one more secret he had been keeping. He had known Harry was a horcrux. He had known Harry was fated to die and had sat by and done nothing to find a way to save him. He was to be a sacrifice.

Harry stood from his chair in a daze, his breathing ragged and a hand clutching his chest, which had exploded in pain.

Snape had stood as well and was currently ranting, and swearing at the still pale old man. Harry had known the possibility was there, but as he listened to Snape tell the old man what had happened during his possession, and subsequent visit to the healer, he had to be honest with himself. He had still been holding out the hope that the old man had not known. Oh, how wrong he had been!

He was alone, he realized then, as he tried to hold back the tears welling in his eyes. Utterly alone. He hadn't felt this hollow since his early years at the Dursleys. Tears began to run unchecked down his face as he realized the enormity of the past day. He had lead his godfather to his death, and the man he had trusted more than anyone had been planning his death for who knew how long.

"You knew?" He half sobbed. Both older men turned at that point, they had evidently forgotten about him while Snape had been blistering the headmaster's ears.

"You knew this whole time?" He forced the strangled sounding words out of his mouth. He wasn't looking at either men, he couldn't bear to look upon either face at that moment. Tears were still running down his face, so he hastily wiped them away and took a step back from the desk he was in front of and bumped into the chair behind him. He saw both men start forward, as if they thought he would fall.

"Don't touch me!" He sobbed out at the Headmaster who had made his way around his desk and reach out for him. Harry jerked away and stepped back behind the chair.

"You've known, all along, that I would have to die? How could you?" He asked, finally looking up at the old man. "How could you look at me knowing you were planning my death and still twinkle those fucking blue eyes at me!" He was still sobbing, but he was angry know.

"I trusted you! I would have done anything, anything, you asked of me. I did do anything! I would have let you lead me around anywhere if I had thought you would be even a tiny bit happy with me because of it. You were the first adult I ever trusted." He tried to calm his breathing but he couldn't, even when the windows started rattling in their panes.

"You tricked me, made me trust you, when all this time I was only alive to die at the right time!"

He couldn't speak anymore. He could barely breathe. He felt as if his heart were literally breaking. The pain in his chest was getting worse and he felt as though he just wanted to curl up in ball and die. It would surely be kinder than feeling this horrible pain, the awful feeling of betrayal and grief.

He was glad when strong arms grasped him about the chest from behind, pining his upper arms to his sides, pulling him back together if only for a moment. He reached both arms up to grasp the forearms holding him so tightly and bowed his head, sobbing pitifully.

He looked up at the old man one last time, barely recognizing the tears running down his wrinkled cheeks and whispered one last broken "How could you." Before he was port-keyed away from the headmaster office and into the infirmary.

Several heads popped out of various curtains when they arrived. Madam Pomfrey and the entire Weasley family came out of one, Luna and her father, and Neville and his Gran out of the other two. Neither man noticed this however, so caught up in their own world they were.

Snape still had his arms around Harry and was dragging him back toward the private room Hermione had been in only a few short hours ago. Harry couldn't have cared less, he couldn't hold in his grief and rage any longer, and as he sagged in the potion masters arms he let out a cry of such grief and anguish it tore at even the greasy haired man's long cold heart.

Everyone in the room stood paralyzed as they listened to the fifteen year old's heartache. Everyone had, by that point, been told of the death of the boys godfather and assumed this was the cause. No one moved for a heartbeat more until, surprisingly, Neville got up to help. He jumped out of his bed swiftly and raced over to help Professor Snape pull Harry to the private room. By the time they got there Neville had tears in his eyes from listening to the anguish his friend was obviously in.

Neville crawled up into the bed and he and Snape hoisted Harry into it. Neville sat his back against the pillows against the headboard, placed another pillow in his lap, and gently laid the distraught boy's head onto it. He began to run his fingers through the all ready messy hair trying to give the boy as much comfort as he could.

Snape immediately stepped out of the room, obviously uncomfortable, and into the crowd of people congregated there. The adults seemed to drift a little away, listening as Snape told them an edited version of the goings on at St. Mungos and the Headmasters office. The other children however, stayed where they were. They had eyes only for their friend.

"I've never seen Harry

"cry, he's always

"stopped himself, before." Said the twins.

"Mum told me last year about what happened in the hospital wing." Ginny said, leaning on Luna a little, keeping the pressure off her recently healed ankle. "She said she couldn't understand how he was able to keep himself from crying, but he did."

"He must be in horrible pain to let himself go like this." Luna said and then added dreamily "I'm sure he could use a hug, those always make me feel better, when I'm sad."

They all looked at one another for a moment before the twins simultaneously stepped into the room and unfastened there cloaks and discarded their fuchsia robes until they were in only trousers and shirts. They both whipped out their wand and while George enlarged the bed and Fred Accio'ed extra pillows and blankets.

Luna picked up a blanket, covered Harry, unashamedly crawled onto the blanket at the end of the bed, sat cross-legged on it exactly opposite of Neville, and laid Harry's blanket covered feet in her lap. George steeped up next and rearranged the weeping boy so his own head was pillowed on Neville's lap and Harry's was on his chest with the redhead's arm wrapped around his shoulders. Neville continued to card his fingers through Harry's hair, despite the changed position.

Fred climbed onto the other side, spooned up behind Harry, and laid his hand right over the boy's heart. One of Harry's hands immediately gripped it. Ginny had lain next to George and was mirroring Harry's position. She grabbed Harry's other hand and brought it over so the two were laying on George's chest between them.

Harry immediately turned into the comfort, having never known anything like it before. He continued to weep for all he had lost, but as he cried himself to sleep he was reassured by the bodies entwined with his, the reassuring touches, and the whispered encouraging words of his friends. The last thought he had before he succumbed to slumber was that he had been mistaken when he thought he was alone.

* * *

I know it has been forever since I have updated but I moving this month. Not just moving though... Moving from Japan, where I live, back to the States! With three kids, a husband, and a dog. Needless to say, I am busy. Bonus for you though! All the hours on the planes will be lovely time for writing. Expect a brand new chapter sometime before Christmas.

I've had a few reviewers leave some questions and I have been neglecting answering them so I thought instead of individually messaging each person, I would just address it here so they aren't repeated

1. Parstletongue or however it is spelled. I want Harry to still have this trait. I really really do. I think it will be good for Harry and Voldie to have their own language. I think it helps with them getting to know one another. Can I make this work? I just don't know yet. Harry isn't going to be descended from Slytherin so that will make it harder. If I can not make it work reasonably I won't do it. So if you have an idea, by all means, let me know. ( :

2. Poppy and Harry do have the basis of nice relationship type thing going. Not really mentor or motherly but he trusts her to an extent. He spends enough time with her! Should it become motherly? I'm not overly fond of Molly, so maybe this would be a good substitute.

3. Snape and Harry are going to become closer…strictly platonic of course. Right now Snape still is not fond of Harry, but when Harry stood up for Mione the way he did, it showed Snape how much like Lily Harry truly can be. He may look like his father but he was willing to sneak around Dumbledore to protect a loved one and that makes Harry more like his mother, in Snape's opinion. That's why he has been a little bit less of a bastard.

4. The Healer knowing of Horcruxes. Is that the plural of Horcrux? Anyway, the Healer knew about them because his job is knowing about Soul and Mind Healing. He has been there 50 years and I personally agree with Setsuna-X 's statement that if Slughorn knew about them then it is plausible a Healer in the field he is in would know. I mean think about it. Tom Riddle found out about them at Hogwarts! From the Library! Healer Morris is older than Tom so he went to Hogwarts before him when the books were still on the shelf. Now, if Hogwarts had those books I would think anywhere where healers trained would have a pretty intense library and may also. Since he deals with similar magic I would assume he would have come across the reference at some point at least.

5. Dumbledore isn't evil in this story. He's mostly completely misguided and looking at "The Greater Good" He cares about Harry but is willing to sacrifice him for Riddle. Think about the fact that he was willing to take his sister, who was mentally unstable, along on his 'conquer the world tour' with Grindlewald and I think you can see this isn't a new thing for him.

6. We will see Voldy soon! Which brings me to ask, In future chapters, what do you think Harry should call him? I don't think any amount of sanity is going to change Riddles mind about liking or tolerating the name Tom. He didn't want to be called Tom at 11. So I was thinking, maybe Marvolo. I think Voldie would be more okay with that. Is that to strange? What do ya'll think?

Thanks for reading and make sure you review!


	7. The Aftermath

So I didn't get this out by Christmas. *Looks around sheepishly*

I had such a hard time with this chapter! I guess I'm just ready to get to the good stuff. And just so your know, canon is obviously being deviated from at this point. I actually have my own Horcrux time line. I don't agree with JKR. I'll explain at the end of the chapter if you wanna know. I researched pretty thoroughly for this chapter so anything that deviates from canon was meant to be that way. Enjoy!

* * *

The Aftermath

Severus Snape was not a man who dealt easily with emotions. He had known for a few months exactly how wrong he had been about the Potter boy's home life. Since the very first Occlumency lesson, in fact. That did not mean that his personality was suddenly going to change or that he was going to go easy on the brat! Just because one had a less than adequate childhood did not mean the world would be easy or sympathetic. It just didn't happen. He, for one, was not going to coddle him. Stupid boy.

He had to admit to being exceedingly surprised when he first started to witness the child's memories and had seen the way his muggle relations had treated him. He had known Petunia since childhood, and all though he despised the harpy, he had always assumed she would spoil her nephew rotten. Oh, he knew the woman despised magic and was jealous she had none, but he knew she liked prestige and imagined herself important. He presumed she would relish being the caregiver of The-boy-who-lived. How very wrong he had been.

It was becoming increasingly obvious to him that he had been wrong on many counts when it came to the _Golden Child_. He sneered at the stupid moniker.

He had always seen a reincarnation of James Potter. Rash, self important, and deceiving. He had felt the hellion was completely undeserving of the vibrant eyes gifted to him by his mother. The defense of Miss Granger had started the crack in that illusion fairly quickly.

He had been, frankly, startled when the boy had knowingly ignored the edict of the Headmaster to get his friend the help she deserved. It was something Lily would have done. James Potter and his little Gryffindor sycophants would never have gone against Albus. _Especially_ if help was all ready being given, as was the case with Miss Granger. It would have suited James just fine to follow the Headmasters rule. He probably would not have even thought twice about it.

Harry had unknowingly impressed the Slytherin Head by doing what he had done. Although, the man still thought the boy could be an exceedingly arrogant twat, he had finally shown the acerbic man what he had been waiting quite impatiently to see. That there was strength of character in him that had been missed before.

That little something made all the difference to Severus Snape. He would never show it outwardly, but he was very pleased with the green-eyed boy and resolved to try and judge the boy on his own merits and failings instead of on his long dead father's. Not that that would change much anyway.

Someone he was not pleased with, however, was one Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. He was very displeased indeed. All his trust in the esteemed man had evaporated up in the tower office that afternoon. He doubted it would ever return. He trusted rarely and Albus had used that trust to meet his own ends. He knew the Headmaster did not do things maliciously, but that mattered very little at this point. What had been done was done and there was no taking it back.

Severus silently ruminated on all these things as he stood guard over the adolescents lying in various states of sleep and wakefulness on Harry's hospital bed. They were teenagers, no matter how good intentioned, and letting this little co-ed Hufflepuff-eque huddle continue unsupervised was ill advised in Severus' opinion.

As he stood as silent guard in the shadowed corner of the sterile infirmary room, he couldn't help but smirk satisfactorily as he recalled his conversation with the parents of the children he was currently watching.

After he had left the touching and highly uncomfortable display of emotions behind in Harry's room, he had been descended upon by the aforementioned adults. The ones who knew Harry best understood his display of emotions was highly irregular, even after having watched his god-mutt fall through the veil, and they had demanded an explanation. Even those who didn't know him, such as Augusta Longbottom and Xenophilius Lovegood, were concerned for the boy their offspring had obviously told them about.

Everyone but, curiously enough, Arthur Weasley. He stood a few feet away, arms crossed over his chest, staring at the open door where three of his children lay comforting Potter. He was still within hearing distance but it struck Severus as odd that the man's family had all but claimed the bespectacled boy as theirs, but he seemed to have little interest as to what was wrong with him. Severus filed that little oddity in his mind for further pondering before he turned swiftly toward the other adults and unabashedly ratted the Headmaster out.

In all actuality, he told them all very little. He told them first about the trip to St. Mungo's and the revelation that Harry had been abused physically and neglected horribly by his Aunt and Uncle. He had not gone into specifics. He stated only that the Healer was contacting the proper authorities and it had been bad enough to warrant Harry's removal and eventual placement elsewhere.

All had been appropriately angry and aghast that any child, especially their 'savior', had been treated thusly and had vocalized there upset for a good five minutes before Severus could get them quite again.

Molly Weasley was the most upset and had confessed to going to the Headmaster with concerns about Harry's living conditions a few times before. They had been quickly brushed aside. She told them of how she regularly sent him food during the summers because his cousin was, apparently, on a very strict diet and Harry was made to follow it as well. This hadn't set well with her, and she had approached the Headmaster. He had assured her all was well, that Harry was being appropriately cared for, and she and her husband had let it go.

Severus couldn't help but sneer even as Poppy and Madam Longbottom tried to console the weeping witch. Evidently, everyone thought the Headmaster was watching over the boy and had been swayed by pretty words. Well he wasn't going to put up with that any longer.

After Molly Weasley calmed down Severus continued the tale, albeit out of order, with Harry's cleansing from being possessed by the Dark Lord. Severus told them nothing of Horcruxes or souls, but only that the Dark Lord had severed the connection between Harry and himself. A good thing too for the Healer in charge of the cleansing had revealed that the scar linked them in such a way that in order for his nastiness to die, Harry would have had to die as well.

This caused Molly to sway dangerously before her husband steadied her. Everyone else was appropriately horrified and pale faced. It would get worse however.

"I never thought I would say anything of the sort, but I can only be thankful Harry met Voldemort last night. The boy has been through so much all ready, he deserve to live a good long time." Augusta Longbottom interjected after a considerable silence, ignoring the gasps that accompanied her saying that dreaded name. She wasn't going to be intimidated such ridiculousness!

"To right you are Augusta." Said Poppy. She turned and looked at Severus shrewdly. "I assume that is one reason why Harry has reacted like he has?"

"Partly, perhaps." Severus said emotionlessly. "I believe it is due more to fact that the Headmaster knew about the connection and it's ramifications, as we learned in his office directly before I portkeyed us both to the Infirmary."

Silence prevailed for exactly 10 seconds while everyone soaked up that statement.

"He what?" Whispered Poppy in an uncharacteristically shaky voice.

"He knew. He admitted as much just a few short moments before we arrived here Poppy." Severus let his mask sip for just a moment and tugged at the end of his long hair in agitation. "I portkeyed Potter up here before he could destroy the man's office in a fit of uncontrolled magic. Consequently, that seems to be a side effect of the connection breaking. Apparently quite a bit of his magic was going to block it."

Mr. Weasley hurriedly conjured a chair before his wife collapsed upon it, both looked devastated by the knowledge of what could have occurred and what the Headmaster had been keeping to himself.

"I think that sounds like the Headmaster exactly." Xenophilius remarked slowly and everyone looked up at him in surprise. "Dumbledore has always been quite secretive and convinced he knows the right course. He has his own 'secret' vigilante group, and to this day, he refuses to answer questions about his past and the spell he used to defeat Gridelwald.

"I know most people see me as a crazy old man with little sense, but I was a Ravenclaw, and I can reason very well if I want to. Most people don't know that Luna's Birthday is on September first and that she should be in her fifth year, not her fourth. Dumbledore came to see me a few weeks before they usually send out letters when Luna was 10 and convinced me to keep her back a year because of her gift."

"Gift?" Severus said. He was completely unaware that Miss Lovegood was anything more than an extremely strange, extremely bright Ravenclaw.

"Yes, you see, my late wife Annalise was the last of the Hightower's. A very old pureblood line they were. The females in the Hightower line were always gifted with a type of sight. I'm not speaking of prophecies or seeing the future, and my wife simply called it a gift so I am unaware of any technical name. What Luna and her mother could see was the truth of things. They see clearly how the world really is.

"All the creatures that Luna sees are real and documented in the Hightower library. She can see Aura's, connections, and lay lines. She can see the nature of magical objects, both the harmful and the benign. She can see past glamours, disillusion spells, and invisibility cloaks, although, curiously not Mr. Potters she has told me.

"My Luna is special, and that always scares people. I agreed to keep her back a year so she would, perhaps, be more ready to deal with the ridicule of her peers. Seeing the world the way she does seems to have a side effect, she and her mother both stated things very bluntly uninhibited or uncaring of the consequences. I thought I was protecting her and that he was trying to help. I believe, now, that the Headmaster had another agenda altogether."

Severus thought for a moment. "Do you believe Luna would have figured out Harry's connection to the Dark Lord if she had been around him as much as she would have if she had been in his year group?"

"I do," He said. "Luna spent a great deal of time with Mr. Potter this year, and by Christmas she seemed very worried. She told me of how she could see Harry was connected to someone very strongly and she was afraid of what it was. She said it was very dark. I believe, by this point, she has all ready figured out whom he was connected to and eventually she would have figured out the ramifications of such a thing. She counts Mr. Potter a friend, and she was very worried. I would have been surprised if she hadn't figured it out by the end of the summer."

"I suppose that makes sense." Madam Longbottom said. "Albus always has been one to keep his cards tight to his chest. If he were determined to keep everyone from knowing the nature of the Potter boy's connection to You-Know-Who, then he would not have wanted someone close to the boy who could figure it out.

"Surely though, he looked into ways of severing the connection before this." She stated this like it was obvious.

"I am unsure." Severus stated plainly, raising his hand to his lips and tracing them with one finger as he thought. "If he did, it was in secret, he didn't even have the boy looked at by any healer after the happenings of that Halloween so long ago. I'm not sure how he could have with no real diagnostic work up, but I could be wrong." He stated the last as if he was sure he was not wrong but felt the need to give the others some hope in the old man.

Severus still couldn't understand what the Headmaster had been thinking, keeping all that information to himself. It was obvious the snake-like man had to have had at least one Horcrux made before that fated day at Godric's hollow or the bit of soul, which broke off and imbedded in Harry would never have done so. Had he even looked for any or destroyed it/them? Were there any left? For someone who was basically running the Voldemort resistance, Albus Dumbledore was making some pretty contradictory decisions.

Not very soon after that, their little gathering dispersed. Xenophilius and Augusta left after quiet goodbyes to their charges and with many assurances by Molly and Poppy that they would be owling or flooing quite soon. The correspondence, Severus had surmised, would be mostly gossip about a certain Headmaster, as Poppy and Molly and left immediately to confront the man and (on Molly's end) make sure everything discussed today had been factual.

This had left only Severus and Arthur alone in the empty ward. Severus, being himself, merely peered at the man out of the corner of his eye before turning and walking back toward the room currently housing the co-ed sleepover, as he was sure a chaperone was very much needed. He stopped a few paces away however, when Arthur suddenly turned and hailed him

"Severus, I was wondering if I might have a moment of your time." The be-spectacled man asked.

"I have a moment, yes." Replied Severus in his usual drawing manner.

Arthur smiled tentatively and walked a few paces closer. "I was wondering what the Healers told you of Harry's possible living arraignments until he comes of age."

Severus fought the overwhelming urge to roll his eyes. "If you are asking if you and your family can take the boy in…" However, Severus had hardly uttered those words before he saw the patriarch of clan Weasley shaking his head.

"No, I don't think that would be the best of ideas, Severus. I was just curious. I'm a bit worried Molly will extend an invite, though. I wanted to be a bit clearer on what the Healers said would happen to Harry so I could reassure her that our help isn't needed."

Severus was very confused and very intrigued. Arthur Weasley was a man of few words. Whether that was because he was often overshadowed by one of his more boisterous children or wife, or by his own choice, was unknown. Now, however, Arthur was talking without the presents of either of these influences, and Severus was going to take advantage of that.

Severus pierced the man with his most serious look. "The way it was explained to me by the Healer only those who have previously been enrolled, inspected, and interviewed as part of the fostering program will be eligible to take in Mr. Potter. He has no next of kin to go to so that is the standard procedure in such a case as his."

Mr. Weasley blew out a breath of relief even as he flushed over his reaction.

"Am I to understand that you are less enamored with the boy then previously thought?" Severus was expecting immediate denial. He was raised his brow in shock when Arthur only ran a hand through his hair roughly and sighed gustily.

"For as long as I have known Harry he has always been a nice boy." Arthur started hesitantly. "He is always polite, well mannered, eager to help, but I was very much against Molly's insistence that he become a part of our family. I wanted him to be just like every other friend of one of our children. Molly disagreed.

"I let it go, and I have watched as year after year at least one of my children is involved in one of his adventures. The problem I have always had is he seems to attract so much danger and he rushes into it instead of telling a more appropriate person.

"Yes, he has always come out the victor, and I am deeply grateful of what he did for my Gin especially, but I just never understood why he never asked for help. I truly still feel horror when I think of my Ginevra's life in the hand of a twelve year old."

He stopped for a moment to remove his glasses and rub a hand down his face. "I knew he hated the attention he has received since he entered our community. He's uncomfortable with himself in a way I never saw in my children. Nevertheless, I must admit, I was beginning to think that underneath all that nice polite boy was someone who craved the notice of others, and was just very good at hiding it. I didn't want my children to be hurt or die because he wanted to play the hero."

He sighed tiredly and replaced his glasses. Severus just looked on quietly and let the man think. This was something that needed to be fleshed out before the boy woke up. He didn't need any more heartache and what Arthur Weasley was saying would surely cause it. The head of house Weasley did not consider the boy-who-lived a member of his family, as everyone had thought, and that would crush the child if he ever even got an inkling of those feelings. As far as Severus could tell he had only the Weasleys and the mutt, and the later was dead. Not good.

"I can see now the problem was not that the boy wanted attention." The red-haired man stated after a short silence. "It was that he had been raised to believe he could not trust adults and that his life was worth less then everyone else's.

"I understand this, truly, but as involved as my family is with this war all ready, I just can't see him as anything but a danger to my children. I know he is just an abused child who is nothing but a victim of circumstance. Under different circumstances, I believe he would be a great addition to our family, but war is upon us now and I have to think of my own family first and foremost. And no matter, how much my children and wife may wish it; Harry is not a part of that."

Severus had a hard time keeping his face impassive as he tried to find something to say.

"I suppose there isn't anything fundamentally wrong with the way you feel Arthur." He began slowly, after a moment's contemplation.

"You want to protect your family and that is admirable and understandable. I do feel it is rather cruel to be voicing this now. Your familial ties with Potter have been solidified in his, and everyone else's, mind. You should not have let that happened if you were so dissatisfied. Your entire brood seems to have made a point in telling the boy he is family. If you didn't want that, you should have done as you wanted to and only treated him as you would have any other friend of one of you children."

Arthur heaved a great sigh. "I know, but it was impossible to influence Molly to my way of thinking. She saw an orphan in need of a home and wanted to give him one. Understandable really."

"She is also convinced that Harry will, ah," He cleared is throat hastily "will marry our Ginevra."

Severus looked at the man incredulously. "You jest! They are 15, Arthur!"

"Yes, yes, I know, but Molly thinks it was fate that brought Harry to save Ginny in the Chamber of Secrets. Ginny had been taken with him from a young age but what started our as just a child's crush intensified after that year. I think the fact that the last four generations of Potter men have married red heads is not helping me convince them otherwise."

Severus shook his head. "I sincerely hope you are not saying your wife was, and is, as open with your home to the boy because she hopes that it will bring her a son-in-law. I doubt that will sit very well with Potter if he were to ever find out, and things like that do have the tendency of making themselves known at the most inopportune times."

"Molly and Ginny do love Harry, Severus. It won't matter to them if Harry never shows any interest in Gin. They, and my younger children, consider Harry family. As much as that bothers me, I don't think anything will change that. I suppose I am being a bit ridiculous, but I just can't help it. I just fear what could happen to my family."

"As do most in these troubled times." The dark man stated, glad to be able to get out of the previous conversation, even if it did lend much information. He hoped to Merlin that Arthur would never repeat this conversation to anyone else. Harry had much to deal with and this would just add a new layer of misery to the all ready down trodden child. He couldn't help but despise Arthur Weasley at that moment. Even if he did understand his reasoning.

"I hope he finds a good family then, and thank you, Severus. For listening to my worries. I know it is not something you do often, or ever." The balding man smiled his thanks.

The professor barely restrained himself from rolling his eyes and instead only lifted an elegant eyebrow. "Indeed," He said, and swept back through the doors to the room housing the boy they had just been talking of.

Severus was broken out of his musings by a soft noise coming from the bed. It seemed Miss Lovegood was awakening. He shifted minutely and took stock of the rest of occupants of the overlarge bed.

The Weasley girl was still asleep nestled against one of her brothers. Longbottom, he tried hard not to sneer, was still awake with his head lent back against the headrest absent-mindedly running his fingers through Potter's ridiculous nest of hair.

The twins were looking at each other, over Potter's head, unblinkingly. As they were wont to do. He had always thought those boys must have been magically connected since birth. He was certain they were able to share thoughts.

He shifted he eyes toward the door as he saw someone entering the ward. Poppy and a red-faced Molly seemed to have come back from their impromptu meeting with the Headmaster. They were talking seriously and he wanted to make sure they had learned nothing new.

"I expect," he began smirking when all the conscious teens started, "that you will all comport yourselves with decorum while a step out for a moment. Yes?"

"Yes sir." Came three voices. All male.

"Of course we will." Luna Lovegood stated belatedly as she wrapped a loose string from her blanket around her index finger.

Snape glared at them through narrowed eyes for a moment before exiting in his usual manor.

* * *

"Glad he's finally gone," Neville said in relief. "I know he helped Harry, but he still scares the bloody hell out of me."

Quiet sniggers erupted from all awake occupants of the room. Neville only grinned sheepishly. All quieted quickly though, and got down to business.

"So glad we had our extendable ears with us." Fred said

"To right you are brother dear," George replied. "Otherwise we would have never known"

"What happened to make our sweet Harry so upset." Fred finished.

"Oh, I'm sure he would have told us eventually," Said Luna.

"I doubt it." Neville said with a skeptical look on his face. "I mean, just think about how you would feel if you were him. I mean Dumbledore basically planned his death out. I wouldn't want to tell anyone."

"I suppose that's true," Replied Luna. "But I think he would have needed to confide in someone, even if it may have taken him the whole summer. And really, who does he trust more than his friends?" Neville just nodded his head at the flighty girl.

"So, our mysterious Ravenclaw beauty,"

"You don't mind that your secret"

"Is a secret no longer?" The twins asked with large grins on their faces.

"Oh no!" She said, dreamy eyes wide. "I wasn't really hiding it, you know. It just never seemed like precisely the right time to say anything. I guess it worked out best this way." She smiled dazedly.

"I guess it did." The twins replied in tandem. One winking roguishly.

The room was silent for a moment before Neville hesitantly spoke up. "What about your dad guys?"

The twins took on a serious air, which was quite peculiar for the usually jovial boys. "I don't rightly know." Replied George. "I had no idea dad felt that way about Harry being so close to the family."

"Too bad for him." Piped up Fred. "It's too late for him to do anything about it anyway. We've claimed him."

"Especially after everything he's done for all of us." Twin voices chorused.

"We'll have to think of a way to reassure dad, though." One twin muttered

"And away to break it to Mum and Gin that Harry, most likely, isn't going to be marrying into the family," muttered the other.

"You think they'll be okay with that?" Neville asked skeptically. "I've never met your Mum, but Ginny is scary when she doesn't get her way. She was a right nightmare when I took her to the Yule ball." Neville shuttered at the memory of how demanding the littlest Weasley had been that night.

Fred snickered quietly as George answered. "Mum should be fine as long as he still comes around for her to fatten up. Gin should be fine as well. After a while, at least."

"Yeah," chimed in Fred, "though I reckon it will take a bit of time. She's been mooning after Harry since she was 6 and Mum bought her that Harry Potter Doll."

"Aye," Said George, gazing into the middle distance as if in fond remembrance. "Such lovely times we used to have with our Harry's miniature sand filled look alike."

"You'd have thought ickle Gin-Gin would have cared for him as much as we did, as much time as she spent carting the thing around. But no!" Cried Fred as dramatically as possible while still keeping his voice low. "Came storming down the stairs the very first morning her first year, angry as could be when she found it lovingly placed on her pillow for her to cuddle with. Right brother?"

"Too right you are! And after we brought it all the way from home after she forgot to pack it! Ungrateful brat." Everyone chuckled at their dramatics and prank whilst shooting the red head pillowed on Fred's chest looks to make sure she hadn't woken.

"You should probably tell her soon." Luna piped up unexpectedly a few minutes later. "About Harry not being very interested." She said when all she received in response was confused and inquiring looks.

"Ginny bought some floral perfume on the last Hogsmeade weekend that has a mild love potion and suggestion charm in it." All male eyes were immediately on the blonde.

"What will that do exactly?" Asked Neville into the silence that had descended.

"Well, I didn't pay too much attention but, I suppose, the suggestion charm is supposed to suggest that the boy spend more time with the girl wearing it. The more time a boy spends with the girl the more time the love potion has to work. There is some sort of activation phrase connected to it. I'm not really sure how it works, but Ginny was real excited about it." She said playing absently mindedly with her hair.

"It smells very pretty and flowery, but I don't think it's a good idea for her to have it. It's supposed to be very subtle so it needs prolonged exposure to work, but I think it would be a very serious temptation for her. Especially since she was expecting to be around Harry quite a bit this summer, just like always."

"We'll talk to her." Said the twins together, once again stony faced. They wouldn't put it passed Ginny to try to ensnare Harry in such a way. Especially if she had found out their mother had used a love potion on their father to get him to notice her. Bill had told them that little tidbit not to long ago.

"Good." Neville said quietly. All of them were thinking Harry had had enough choices taken from him. Who to love should not be one of them.

The quiet continued in the ward after that. Professor Snape returned; Luna drifted in and out of sleep, and occasionally read the quibbler she had a house elf fetch for her. Fred and George continued their silent conversation, and Neville eventually moved from the head of the bed to the end by Luna and lay down to sleep, lengthwise across the bed.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore sat up in his office wondering how everything had come so horribly undone. The only positive thing that had happened was Tom's removal of his Horcrux from Harry's scar. He was still unsure of the full ramifications of such an action, but in the atrium, he was sure he saw one. Tom had looked human. More human than Albus had seen him looking in more that 20 years.

As great as that news undoubtedly was, there was now a new, graver, problem. It would not be too much of a stretch for Tom to theorize that his remaining Horcruxes were in danger. Harry had been close to him for years, and Tom might guess, correctly, that he had found the secret to Tom's immortality.

He knew, now, that he was going to have to begin his hunt a bit earlier than he had anticipated. Tomorrow he would need to go the Little Hangleton and see if he could find the Gaunt House. He was sure Tom had hidden one Horcrux, in an heirloom ring, in the little shack his mother had lived in nearly her entire life.

Yes, tomorrow he would start his search in earnest. He had hoped to wait until Harry was ready to help him in his quest, but that seemed far off yet. His whole demeanor changed to one of extreme sadness. He had wronged that boy badly, and in many ways. In time he may earn back some of the trust he had lost this day, but now he had other matters to settle. The aging Headmaster sat in his office making plans and forming contingencies, and wondered if, perhaps, he could convince Severus to accompany him on the next day's mission.

He couldn't have known that his mission the next day would be a failure, as the ring would all ready be gone.

* * *

In a brightly lit study, the Darkest of Dark Lords stood silently in front of a grand picture window and gazed down upon the grounds below. He had just dismissed both Lucius and Bellatrix. They had both hurried from the room grateful and bewildered that their Lord had not seen fit to punish them for the fiasco their simple jaunt to the ministry had dissolved into.

He was angry at almost everything that had happened last evening and early this morning. The only thing that had impressed him was that Lucius had all ready wriggled his way out of Ministry custody, courtesy of Minister Fudge and the copious amount of money Lucius had donated over the past 10 or so years.

No politician wanted their staunchest supporter and wealthiest contributor to be arrested, let alone for breaking into the Ministry as a Death Eater. Uncomfortable questions would be asked. Fudge may be an idiot, but he knew how to do damage control.

As amusing as that pathetic politician's scramble to keep his job was, Lord Voldemort had bigger things on his mind just then.

He had done copious amounts of research when he had initially run across the term Horcrux in the restricted section of the Hogwarts Library. There had been only one recorded instance of a human being used as a Horcrux so he new it was possible, but he had never, even at his most paranoid, supposed the Potter boy had been unintentionally been harboring .

Horcrux making had been invented thousands upon thousands of years ago by the Ancient Egyptians. While the practice was not what one would venture to call common, it was also not a surprising occurrence. In his opinion, the Egyptian wizards had a far more sensible approach on magic. None was off limits, even 'Dark Arts' as they became known as.

A son of one of the Pharaoh's in Egypt, he couldn't even recall his name, had made one of his wives into a Horcrux and then tried to assassinate his father so he could take over the throne and rule for as long as it pleased him.

Not a very smart plan.

He was caught before he could do the deed and he and his entire house was executed for treason, including his wife/Horcrux. The Pharaoh had been irate when he learned of the ultimate plan, and later became more than a bit paranoid of someone following his example. Eventually he ordered all Horcrux vessels in his kingdom destroyed and banned the practice of soul magic altogether.

He had obviously broken his soul into too many pieces if a shard could separate and implant itself into the nearest being. It was extremely fortuitous that he found that splinter.

His first Horcrux had been made when he had been only 16 years old, in the summer of 1943. He recalled the outing with a sneer and great distaste. He had not set out to make one the day he had gone in search of his mother's family, the Gaunts. He had taken the Slytherin ring from Morfin when he realized what a pathetic excuse for a wizard the man was and then set off to the village proper to search out his biological father.

He had gained access to the house by simply knocking and entering after the stiff woman who had answered the door. He had been led to the parlor and what followed had enraged and soured him in a way nothing in his life had until that moment. He was completely repudiated by all three surviving members of his family, but that had not been the worst.

His father had maligned his mother, called her a whore and a devil worshipper. He then proceeded to tell his son he was glad the 'harlot' was dead and she should have taken her spawn with her to hell when she died. Then to add insult to injury the elder Riddle, his grandfather, had shushed his son and offered to pay him to keep his mouth shut about his ancestry. As though he wanted anything to do with that muggle filth! Especially after such a disgusting example of why wizards and muggles should always be kept separate.

He had lost his temper spectacularly after that and had used the Avada Kedavra on all three before any of them could even think of screaming. He had made his first Horcrux just then, in the large house that should have been his home. He then magically forged a will naming him benefactor to their fortune. Transferred all their precious money to Gringotts and sold their mansion. Overall, he thought it was quite poetic.

His second Horcrux had been made three years later with the death of an elderly window named Hepzibah Smith using the Cup of Hufflepuff he procured from her. It was a pity to kill the harmless old woman, but needs must, as they say.

He had disappeared from English society after that. He had traveled the world, studied, recruited, and generally began to put his plans into action. He had not felt any ill effects from his Horcrux making and so continued.

The next he made in the mid fifties using the locket he had gained from Hepzibah Smith. The fourth had been made almost ten years later using the Diadem of Ravenclaw he had finally procured from the Albanian forest. He actually smiled as he recalled his jubilation and finally finding the revered piece of history. Well, he had as jovial as he was able to be.

Then during the 70's the war truly started

He had made elaborate plans on how he would change magical society and keep the muggles away from them. They were not peaceful plans, he knew he was a cruel bastard, but they had not been genocide either. His plan was, basically, the entire isolation of the wizarding communities in Britain from the muggle and the abolishment of the restrictions on Dark Magic use.

He realized now that somewhere along the way he had lost focus. It was as if all his plans were forgotten. Especially after the creation on Horcrux number five, his Diary.

It had started out as a civil war. He, the leader of the faction seeking isolation from the muggle community and the right to practice whatever magic they desired, and Dumbledore, the leader of the status quo.

He had soon started murdering everyone, including purebloods, who disagreed with his agenda of isolationism. He couldn't believe the damage he had done to pureblood society. Whole houses had been destroyed. Soon after, he had begun torturing his followers.

Well that wasn't entirely true. He had punished them before for failure of a task, but it had turned into much more than that.

Then that fateful night in 1981 had happened. He was going to squash all hope of resistance that night and create his final Horcrux with the prophesied child's death. Instead, he was banished, no more than a wraith. The brilliance of his plan had worked, but also failed.

Oh how he had hated his time as less than a ghost. He had been technically alive, but no one but him knew of his Horcruxes. He could see this now was a great failing. No one knew, so know one could resurrect him. By the same galleon, he couldn't risk telling anyone for fear the soul containers would be destroyed while he was in his weakened state. It was a vicious circle and he was only just now realizing it.

How could he have gone so long without realizing what had happened? That something was going desperately wrong? He had been thinking long and hard since his return from the ministry. He did not like what he saw. As he looked through his memories, it became increasingly clear that the loss of each piece of soul correlated to a further loss of his sanity.

Had his followers not noticed his change over the years? Both physical and mental? Since his resurrection he had dropped every plan that did not include gaining the prophesy or capturing and killing Harry Potter. He supposed that made a great deal of sense. He again, had made another Horcrux; out of Nagini this time. That in itself was insane. She was sentient and would die of old age if nothing else.

Well it was obvious now that something needed to be done. He had a chance to continue with his original plans. This time he would succeed. Besides the more human appearance, his mind was actually less chaotic than it had been for longer than he could remember.

All the rage that had been ever present for decades had dimmed a little as well. He was sure this was both a combination of rejoining his soul piece with the rest of the whole, and the fact that that little piece of soul had been living in Potter's pure one for so long. That had to have lingering affects. This would work to his advantage.

Now he had to decide what to do next. He did not like it, but he knew he would have to retrieve his remaining Horcruxes. He would start in the village of Little Hangleton and systematically reabsorb the remainder of his soul pieces. Well, except perhaps Nagini. It was such a small piece after all.

Hopefully Dumbledore had not found the remaining pieces. He doubted he would ever be that lucky. It was a distinct possibility that the man had figured out his plan.

After Lucius' mishandling of his diary Horcrux and the Potter boy's close proximity to the foolish old man it was too much to hope that such glaring clues had been overlooked. He would have to leave immediately. He would call Lucius and Severus to accompany him in his venture. He needed their trust most of all, as the most cunning and smartest of his inner circle members. This would go a long way to gaining some genuine trust instead of fear and brute force to aid their compliance with his orders.

Not that he wasn't still a sadistic and cruel man. He smirked ominously at this thought as he swept out of the room in search of the elder Malfoy. He was Lord Voldemort after all. Even as a child, he had been a bit evil and reveled in the pain of his enemies. And so it would be once more. Only this time, he would be the victor, as would the whole of wizarding Britain. His sanity was retuning. He must ready himself for what would come.

* * *

Well...

Yay! Next Chapter we get to the good stuff! Can I just say how humbled and appreciative I am by all the reviews! I had over 130 reviews for chapter 6. Thanks to everyone who gave their opinion on the parsletoungue thing.

All right, I changed the order and time line for the Horcruxes. Manly because I looked up the time line and it was obvious JKR just slapped that shit together! I mean really. According to her, 5 of the 6 horcruxes were made before TR turned 20. WTF? Why did he wait upwards of 35 years to make the last one then? That just doesn't make any sense at all. Come on now! Plus what happend to the whole bit about him saving the important deaths to make them. According to her he made two while still in school (myrtle and his father.) Then used a 'tramp' and some Albanian peasant for two others. I'm sorry but I just can't handle that. So I spaced the Horcrux making over a number of years. I think it makes more sense, plus it works with my story. Hopefully ya'll don't mind!

No flames yet people! It's like a miracle!


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